


A Hand to Hold

by quicksylver28



Series: Sentinel AU - Gundam Wing [4]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Drama, Established Relationship, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Happy Ending, Minor Character Death, Multi, Romance, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:07:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 49,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24111058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quicksylver28/pseuds/quicksylver28
Summary: Our boys deal with the aftermath of Dorothy's machinations and a blast from the past wrecks Trowa's new quiet life.April 2020 Rough Trade - Year of the Sentinel - Pairs
Relationships: Chang Wufei/Zechs Merquise, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton/Quatre Raberba Winner
Series: Sentinel AU - Gundam Wing [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1000119
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My boys are back. Yay! I Really missed them all. Including Quatre and Trowa. This story almost wrote itself, it looked at the plot i had planned out and said "Nope". LOL. i had to replot at least six times to get it making some kind of sense. i hope you enjoy reading as much as i enjoyed writing.
> 
> you know me and editing for grammar/ typos. i'll try my best.

See below for Casting Pictures - Quatre | CAthy | Trowa

\------------------------------ 

Trowa shrugged off his jacket and hung it in the small closet, sighing at the warmth of Catherine's trailer after a long evening's chill. The small home smelled like herbs and spices and he took a deep breath as his chest filled with warmth.

It had been so long since he'd felt at home anywhere. Welcome. Warm. So long since he'd felt anything but numb. With a shake of his shaggy fringe, he carefully shoved those thoughts away. He'd gotten better at doing that, at pushing back the blankness, the temptation to fall back into what he'd been before it had all started.

The faceless. The nameless. A hollow vessel waiting to be filled with something… anything. He'd thought that the war would give him a face, a name, a voice. That being a gundam pilot could give him an identity apart from one he'd either stolen or been forced into. When its end left him adrift, he'd believed that Qua… that love could fill the deep emptiness that howled inside him.

Sadly, he'd been wrong once more and the collapse of that life had driven him, desperate, broken and half way into the bottle; back to the only place that had felt somewhat like home.

Catherine had taken one look at him, standing in the pouring rain in front of her trailer, with nothing but the sodden clothes on his back and that dead look in his eyes; and she'd yanked him into a tearful hug. They'd both cried that night, clinging to each other as the rain mixed their tears.

It had taken days for him to speak at all, weeks before he stopped staring off into space for hours. Slowly, Cathy had gotten him into working with the ground crews for the circus. As the new Ring Master and manager, she'd modernised the whole show, retiring the animals to live the rest of their lives in peace and concentrated on more daring and dazzling human performances.

Trowa appreciated the hard work and long hours, letting himself get lost in the day to day routine. He'd never be a gymnast again, he'd fallen out of training a long time ago and didn't have the heart to try once again. Thankfully, the crews easily accepted him and he'd learned the ropes quickly thanks to his time at the circus before.

The best thing was that no one asked him about Qua….

He squeezed his eyes shut and leaned against the closet door, carefully pushing back the tidal wave of emotion that came with that name. He slowly counted off in this head things to ground him. The warmth of the trailer. The sound of Cathy puttering around in her tiny kitchen and humming along to the wireless, no doubt dancing to some catchy tune. The hard wood against his back. The feel of the plasters on his fingers from when he was handling the ropes earlier.

A soft meow came from around his ankles and he looked down to see one of the circus cats pawing at his thick boots. It was a skinny little grey short hair with black ribbing. It wasn't any one's per say but all the circus folk took turns feeding the three or so cats that kept the place clear of rats and mice, both of which loved to chew on rope.

This particular one had a liking for Cathy and showed up at her trailer more often than not. Sometimes, if he was still enough, it would hop into his lap and let him run his fingers over its scraggly coat. He smiled softly, bending down to give it a good scratch at the back of the head.

"Glad to see me huh? Or are you just here for dinner too. Well, you look as hungry as I feel."

"By the look of you both, I'm not sure who dragged in who." Cathy giggled from the door of the kitchen. She had a pot of stew in her mitten covered hands. "But you're lucky because you're both in time for dinner. Set the table won't you Tro?"

Trowa nodded, giving the cat one last scratch before toeing off his boots. Setting the table was simple enough and soon he retreated to his room to freshen up and change from his dirty work clothes.

"What took you so long?" Cathy's voice echoed down the hall. "Griff keep you guys back late again?"

Trowa grunted as he stepped out of the small bathroom, drying his hands on a towel. "He wanted to do a complete rig check. Had me up checking each anchor and swivel for the aerial acts."

She pursed her lips. "I would complain about Gryff's anal retentiveness if not for the fact that we've never had an equipment failure under his watch. I'd rather pay you guys a little extra for overtime to be sure than be sorry after."

Nodding his silent agreement, he dug into his hardy beef stew with relish, enjoying the rich flavours she'd nurture into the thick broth. There was enough for two bowls each and he gave her a small smile of thanks when he finally sat back with a contented sigh.

Since she's cooked, he took care of clearing the table and washing the dishes; setting the left overs in the fridge and setting the pot to soak. He was elbow deep in soapy water when Cathy came to lean a jeans clad hip against the counter, a mug of steaming tea cradled in her hands. He watched her from the corners of his eyes as she fidgeted in silence.

Their company was usually so quiet and comfortable that he couldn't help but feel a thread of concern. Usually by now she would either hop up on the counter to sip her tea in silence or she would chatter his ear off about the day to day drama of running the circus.

After seeing her tuck her still vibrant red hair behind her ear for the fifth time, he'd had enough. "Just tell me what's caught on your tongue. Cath. You look ready to squirm out of your skin."

Cathy flushed and bit her lip, looking over his shoulder when she couldn't meet his eyes. He waited patiently, his hands clenching in the soapy water as she tensed and loosened her jaw several times. She looked annoyed, more at herself than anything else, like if the words were protesting passing her teeth.

"They called again today."

Silence hung for long, uncomfortable seconds as Trowa stared blankly at her. Her face crumpled further when he finally turned and started washing the wares once more.

"I tried to tell them that you didn't want to see them. That you didn't want their money and that all the pre-nups you signed allowed you to walk away free and clear. I tried to tell them that you just wanted to be left alone but they…"

She turned away and buried her face in her tea cup, hunching her shoulders. "… they said they would pull our funding if you didn't at least hear them out."

Her head bowed as her hair fell down to cover her expression. "I'm sorry. I told them that I would at least ask you. Nothing more. I… the circus…"

"It's fine." he cut her off softly, setting the last pot to dry. "I don't blame you, Cath."

"I'm so sorry Trowa" she whispered as she leaned her forehead against his shoulder, her slim fingers tucking a small slip of paper into his pants pocket.

"Hey, look at me." He dried his hands and lifted her chin with a gentle finger. "It's ok. We both knew that they wouldn't give up. I won't let them hurt the circus. You've all worked too hard for me to fuck it up on a whim."

She reached up to grip his wrist. "It's not just a whim and you know it. You don't deserve what they did to you. I don't know why they can't just leave you alone. It's not fair."

He hugged her against him, feeling a rush of love for the closest thing he had to family in this world. She was the sister of his heart and, with the kind of life he'd lived, bonds birthed in the heart transcended blood ties by far.

He kissed her head and watched fondly as she curled up on the couch to watch her favorite TV drama, her paperwork abandoned on the coffee table before her. The circus Tom sat curled in her lap, purring like an engine as she petted him gently. Her eyes were still red but she was looking happier as she chuckled at the screen.

With one last fond look, he retreated to his room and sat on his bed; staring blankly at the crumpled piece of paper in his palm. He loathed to open it, angry that they'd stooped to this to make him comply. Qua… they'd promised that the funding for the circus would always be safe. That was the only thing Trowa had ever made a point on. Qua…. There'd been a trust set aside for this very purpose.

Now they were threatening to withhold it to make Trowa dance on their strings once more.

"Fuck." he hissed and unravelled the paper. There was a name and a number scribbled on it. He picked up his phone and dialled the number, taking a deep breath as it rang.

"Hello Trowa, thank you for calling me so soon." the voice on the other end was honey sweet and cloying. "I wasn't sure the lovely Catherine would pass on my overture at all."

Trowa suppressed a shiver at the thought of getting sucked back in the nightmare once again.

"Cut the crap Rabi'a. You threatened to pull funding from the circus even though Qua… even though I was promised that would never happen."

"Of course it won't come to that, dear brother" she simpered. "Not if you hold up your side of the bargain."

"Bargain? What are you talking about?"

Her laugh was like the tinkling of icy bells in winter. "Why, when you stood before my family and god and promised in sickness and in health. Till death do you part."

Trowa sucked in a sharp breath. "I … I can't."

"But you must. It is your sworn duty." she retorted sharply, "It's time to come home brother. Your husband awaits you."

Trowa's throat felt tight, hearing the all too real threat in her words. Rabi'a Winner was a woman of her word and a dangerous force to be reckoned with. If it were him alone, he'd just disappear into the mist, just keep running. But he wasn't alone was he? He'd come to the circus, he'd come to Cathy. And now everyone's future was in danger.

Stupid. He'd been so fucking stupid. How could he think that he could ever just walk away? They'd just been biding their time, waiting until he'd put down enough roots to that they'd have something on him. Shit. They'd never let him go.

He let out a slow exhale and let his head fall heavy to his chest. Feeling the trap closing in around him and helpless to do anything about it. "Ok. What happens now?"

"Wonderful, truly wonderful. A car is already waiting at your door. Do give my love to dear Catherine and wish her well for me." Her laugh was like a desert serpent opening its fanged maw.

"Welcome home, Dearest Brother, we've all missed you so."

The trap snapped shut.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for some sexy times at the end of the chapter. nothing to graphic. Just our boys seeking comfort in each other

Duo sat at the foot of the large bed, staring absently out of the hotel room window as he combed his just washed hair. A majestic view of Prague Castle could be seen in the distance through the sheer white curtains as they fluttered in the breeze. 

A small table, bearing of the remnants of their meal, stood in the corner; delicate dishware and stained coffee cups scattered with paper folders and Heero's laptop, its screen lit with the information they'd gathered from the old records recovered from Catalonia's set up in the old warehouse in Sanq where she'd kept the Princess and Mariemaia prisoner. 

That was the reason they were in Prague in the first place. The local Preventers office as moved quickly upon news of the fork-browed bitch's death, securing her personal residence as well as a couple of other properties in her name.

Une wasn't stupid. She knew that someone as devious as Dorothy would have contingency plans in place. Would have accomplices to carry out her goals if she fell. It was a race against time to find them. To route them out of their rat holes and thwart their plans.

Both Wufei and Zechs, still reeling from their daughter's kidnapping and the full extent of Dorothy's sadistic intent; had demanded that Sanq be part of the investigations as well. Officially Une had shown affront that the Kingdom didn't believe in the capability of the Preventors but behind closed doors, she readily agreed to the arrangement.

Not only did having two Gundam Pilots seconded to her command a tremendous asset but both Duo and Heero would be able to move more freely than her people due to their brand spanking new diplomatic immunity. Both Prague and Sanq were old allies and the local authorities had been more than helpful since their shuttle had landed.

They'd gone straight to Dorothy's primary residence from the tarmac still in their travelling suits, Heero wanting to get a fresh an impression of the place as possible. Wearing his customary black on black, no tie this time thank God, Duo had followed a few paces after his sentinel as the man prowled the empty house; leaving the curious but professional Preventer guards outside.

As he pulled on his fitted velvet gloves, Duo gazed intently around the room; making a face at the décor. The place looked like one of those old fashion antique dolls houses he'd seen in musty curio shops. All gilded and fancy and utterly lifeless. He shuddered at the thought of living in a place like this day after day, just stopping himself from reaching out to one of the ceramic horses perched upon a glass shelf.

The special gloves had no finger tips, allowing him to control exactly how much skin contact he had with certain objects and people. Ever since that day in the warehouse, when he'd let Shinigami take him over completely one more, his abilities had been changing, shifting. He'd started getting empathetic flashes via touch, much stronger and more vivid than he used to. It had gotten to the point where they'd had to have the gloves made from velvet as his usual leather ones still held faint echoes of the animals from which the leather had been sourced.

It had been kind of fucked up situation for a while and he'd spent a few rough days and nights where Heero was the only thing that anchored him through all the crazy. Thankfully he'd been able to wrangle a hold of this new skill and could now dial it down much like Heero could with his own senses. His lover had been a big part of that, using his own experiences to help just Duo had helped him. With Wufei's meditation and Zechs' comforting empathic buffering and support, he'd managed to get himself back on an even keel in time for their trip.

"I feel like I'm in a monument… but to what I'm not sure." Duo made a face as he followed Heero into the formal salon. Noting with a thief's shrewd eye the hand carved dark wood crown molding, the ornate, gilded picture frames filled with stuffy, boring old men; and the heavily embroidered and tasseled upholstery. "I keep expecting some snooty sales associate to pop out and hover over my shoulder judging me silently for asking how much something costs. You know… if you have to ask. You can't afford it."

"Focus 02" Heero grunted but the corner of his mouth quirked upwards. Duo gave him a grin at the sight. 

Dorothy's study was a bust at first sight. Dark wood furniture, red silk walls. Burnished gold matching knick knacks and brickabrack that must have been a bitch to dust. Everything seemed crowded and stifling, daunting shadows looming in the corners. A large portait hung on the wall above the desk. Big daddy Romerfeller himself, Duke fucking Dermail, frowning down at them with his cold, piercing eyes. Duo sneered silently, flipping a double to the scowling painted face. God, this place was too fucking much.

He browsed the shelf with its first editions and one of a kind copies of ancient before colony books, pulling on one or two just in case they opened a secret passage or something. Houses like these were lousy with secret passages and hidden rooms.

He glanced over at Heero who'd come to a stop in front of a spindly little side table with a hideous looking bust on it. "01, you got something?"

"She spent time here. The scent is the strongest except for her bedroom but there's something missing." Heero quirked his head to one side, taking a deep, slow breath. "There's not enough of wear on her chair, not enough of her scent on the furniture."

Duo stepped closer. "Maybe she's been travelling a lot lately. Scent fades after a while."

"Her bedroom stinks of her still. Even the formal salon still smells of the tea she offered her last guest." The Japanese pilot shook his head once. "This room should smell like her more. The staff said that she would spend hours on end in here, sometimes not coming out until the next morning."

"So either she discovered a way to mask her scent while in here or she didn't stay in here at all." Duo frowned and glanced around the room. "So, secret passage then?"

Heero nodded, stepping closer to the spindly table. He squatted and ran his fingertips along a faint curved scrape in the hardwood floors. "Hn. I can hear the wind behind this wall. There's also a draft. I can smell recycled air."

"Nice." Duo's sharp eyes studied the space, examining the table and the ugly bust sitting upon in. his eyes narrowed. "Now why would the old fork brows herself have a bronze bust of Field Marshall Noventa in her private study? He stood against everything her grandpapa wanted."

Heero shrugged his shoulders but leant down to examine the bust. 

"I smell lubricant."

He then gave a look at Duo out of the corner of his eye. "Don’t be juvenile Maxwell. I meant the kind used on machinery." 

Duo smirked unrepentantly, wiggling his eye eyebrows. "I didn't say a thing Hee-chan."

Heero rolled his eyes and felt along the base of the bust. A little bit of maneuvering as they both heard a series of echoing clicks. Suddenly the wall was swinging back, taking the entire spindly table with it. Duo huffed a curse at the well-lit stairway leading down, exchanging a glance with his partner. 

"We'd better call Une. Who knows what booby traps Catalonia has waiting down there for us? For all we know she has the place set to self-destruct or some shit. She's certainly conniving enough."

His partner grimaced. "I agree. I imagine it would have satisfied her to know that she could still strike out at us from beyond the grave.

"Che. You're probably right." Duo bared his teeth and pressed his shoulder against Heero's as he pictured that smug little smile she always seemed to be wear. "Psychotic bitch." 

The next few hours had been spent waiting for the bomb squad to clear the space. Duo had been right, there had been booby traps set up to main and kill intruders but thankfully the preventers were well experienced in detecting and dismantling such.

Her second, secret study had been a treasure trove of information, giving them leads to several more places and people of interest. Une was quick to dispatch officers to investigate discretely. They had to tread carefully, they couldn't show their hands too early lest they tip off the wrong people prematurely.

While Heero supervised the removal of the computer banks and servers to the secure FOB that the Preventers had set up, Duo used the time to search through the rest of the house. He walked from room to room slowly, murmuring his position to his partner as he went. 

The bedrooms upstairs all seemed to be themed in some way and filled with more ugly old furniture. Everything was immaculate and other than a few faint impressions of people his didn't recognize, there wasn't really anything for his gift to pick up. Dorothy's bedroom was something else entirely. 

"Jesu Cristu. And here I thought Relena was bad with all that pink." 

The room was an explosion of white. Ceilings, carpets, curtains, bedding, even the fucking giant chandelier that hung above the four post bed. It looked like inside of a white cake topped with white icing and white crystal sprinkles. 

His step swished against the thick pile carpet as he made a circuit around the room, peaking into the bathroom which was a study in black with finely silver veined black marble tiling and a huge pewter coloured claw footed tub.

"Yeah. She wasn't crazy at all." He muttered under his breath and felt a pulse of humor coming from his partner. Duo chuckled, stepping around the giant polar bear skin rug that lay in front of the hearth. "Aren’t polar bears supposed to be extinct? Fuck a duck."

The vanity looked even more ostentatious than the rest of the furniture, which was a feat, with crystal vases full of delicate white blossoms and fat half melted candles on ornate crystal candle sticks. Everything was neat and tucked away in drawers and lacquered white jewelry boxes. 

He dug carefully through her things, taking note of how neat it had all been organized. Flashes of her sitting at the vanity, humming to herself as she brushed her hair. Choosing her outfits and writing letters to friends and colleagues. There'd been a laptop found in her night stand but the Preventers had already taken all of that to the FOB. They'd have time enough to see what the techs had gotten from it and the other devices found.

Duo was looking for something else, something deeper. Catalonia was dead and good riddance to bad rubbish but it meant that they could not interrogate her. Couldn't shake her like a cracker jack box until she spilled her many secrets. They had to find it all out after the fact and that's what Duo was here to help do. He gently touched a pair of pearl earrings and got the flash of a man sitting across a table at an outdoor café. 

The middle aged man looked vaguely familiar and Duo rolled the pearls around some more while he committed the man's face to memory. A delicate watch had Dorothy standing on Charles Bridge at quarter passed three on a sunny afternoon, waiting for someone. A diamond tennis bracelet saw her at a ball, dancing with a frowning elder gentleman. This flash was paired with a feeling of utter loathing and it had Duo dropping the bracelet with a hissed curse.

That one had been intense. He took a shuddering breath, wiggling the feeling from his fingers as he sent back calm comfort to Heero's sharp concern. Carefully, he touched the bracelet once more, searching for the face of the man Dorothy seemed to loathe so fiercely; and spent a good ten seconds studying his face and clothes. He was dressed in a tuxedo but carried himself like an old soldier. Maybe old Romerfeller or even Earth Sphere Alliance. He'd have to look into the old records.

Other objects gave faint glimpses of Dorothy living her life, too vague to be of much value. After checking the backs of the vanity, the armoire and the ceiling vents, he looked around the room once more. Then, with an 'aha' he got to his knees and checked under the bed frame, feeling along the edges until his fingers knocked a small box unto the carpet.

Still on his knees, he opened the box to reveal a small worn medallion resting on silk. It was a tiny thing, with most of the details worn away but he could still make out the figure of a resting lamb holding a cross. 

"Agnus Dei." he murmured, his mind going back to the Maxwell church and the stories sister Helen would tell as they did chores. "The Lamb of God."

He brushed his fingers against the medal and his breath froze painfully in his chest. He barely remembered slumping to the carpet and he was gone.

By the time he came back to himself, he'd been in an almost frantic Heero's arms, sobbing from the half remembered memory. He hadn't even been able to speak and had just clung desperately to his partner as he shook.

Heero had whisked him away to the hotel immediately, making sure to have the Preventer crew carefully bag the medallion with box as evidence, before leaving the whole operation in their capable hands. As the car raced them through the streets of Old Town, Heero had reached into his jacket pocket, taking out a small plastic bag and tipped its contents into Duo's trembling hands. 

It was one of Ilora's diamante barrettes and the braided pilot quickly stripped off one glove and closed his fingers around the shiny clip. Immediately he went limp once more, sighing deeply as he slumped against his lover, the tension draining out of him as he let his eyes fall closed.

They made it up to the room and into a warm shower by the time Duo found himself back on an even keel. He let Heero coddle him a bit, eating the lunch his partner had ordered before sitting on the bed to comb out his wet hair. The shower had helped them both wash the stink of stress and fear off them and a light meal had settled their stomachs. 

He could just hear Heero in the bathroom, puttering around as he spoke on the phone to Wufei. He'd been tense since the plane ride and Duo's episode at the house hadn't helped calm him. Duo trusted Wufei to talk him down and was glad that they both had others who they could turn to for help. Being a gundam pilot back in the war used to mean handling everything on one's own but now, it had given this small group of lonely people something in common that bound them all together. 

During the meal, Heero had confessed that he'd all but freaked out when he'd heard Duo's soft choking breath then a heavy thump, darting towards the stairs and taking them three at a time until he'd reached the master bedroom, a few preventers following him with their weapons drawn. 

The sight of his partner in a heap on the floor had almost driven him feral but, thankfully, the sound of Duo's steady heartbeat had pulled him back from the edge. All he could think about then was getting his guide to safety and to see his partner and lover wake up dazed and crying had set something growling deep inside him. 

Thank God they'd arranged the touchpoint beforehand for such an occasion. It had been an idea of Zechs'. Something positively changed with emotion that would give Duo an anchor if he ever feel too deep in his abilities and couldn't easily find his way back out. 

Heero had three on his person at all times, because he was paranoid like that, and had been glad for it when Duo had clutched the little hair clip tight and relaxed against him with a soft sigh. 

Duo still had the hair clip in the pocket of his robe, close enough that he could slip his hand and touch it at a moment's notice. He'd just finished braiding his tresses when Heero came out of the bathroom. He was wearing his own robe and looking much more relaxed. Duo held out his hand and smiling as Heero took it and gently tugged at him until they were both curled up in the middle of the bed, the Japanese pilot spooned behind him, those strong arms holding him close.

His lover was warm and firm against his back, his heart beat steady and strong as his breath puffed against Duo's neck. He took comfort in the feeling his sentinel gave him. Heero felt like safety, like home. Like the second half of him. He nosed his pillow, rubbing his cheek against the cool cloth as he tried to gather his thoughts.

Now that he felt safe and calm, his mind spooled back to the vivid impression he'd gotten from the small medallion. He only remembered bits and pieces but they were enough for him to make up his mind.

"I'm gonna have to touch that thing again. God knows I don't want to but I have a feeling that we're going to need to take a closer look at what the medallion can tell us."

Heero stiffened briefly behind him then slowly relaxed, pulling Duo a little closer. "You believe that it's important to the case?"

Duo shrugged, "I know that it was hella important to Catalonia. So much so that she left such an intense emotional imprint on it. I remember seeing Duke Dermail and some others but everything went pear shaped. I lost the plot almost immediately. I wasn’t prepared for anything like that."

"Hn." Heero grunted. "We'll have to meditate together first and do it in a secure location. I can't tolerate both of us being vulnerable at the same time. I'd have to ask Une if there's a space at the Preventers we can use." 

Duo felt himself tearing up a bit, deeply grateful that Heero hadn't balked or protested when he'd mentioned touching the medallion again. His partner trusted him, believed in him, was ready to walk side by side with him into unknown danger. God he loved this man. 

He turned in Heero's embrace and kissed him before he could ask about the tears in his eyes. Heero kissed him back just as fiercely, pulling Duo against his chest and wrapping that long braid around one of his fisted hands, gripping unto to it tightly.

Duo's hand crept up into Heero's wild hair, pulling him closer as their kiss deepened and a fire was stoked between them, filling the air with the heady scent of their joint arousal. Heero moaned into the kiss, breathing in deeply through his nose. His cock hardened almost painfully, grinding against Duo's thigh with a low growl.

"Guide." His voice was rough, his eyes dark and intense as they finally pulled apart, both panting for breath. Duo's eyes were pools of desire, filled with the same hunger that threatened to consume him whole and set them both ablaze. 

"Heero. Sentinel. I need you." The braided pilot commanded against the corner of his lover's mouth, pressing tiny kisses along the man's sharp jaw. Heero growled deep in his chest as he rolled them both over so that he settled between Duo's spread legs.

"As you wish."

Duo made a helpless noise and pulled away, incredulously. "Did you just quote the Princess Bride to me, Heero Yuy?"

The other man shrugged and gave that small smile of his. "You've watched that movie with Ilora so many times, I could probably quote the whole thing to you by now."

Duo laughed in delight, his violet eyes dancing. "You know those words means I love you right?"

The brunet quirked a brow and kissed his giggling lover on the cheek. "True love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops.

"Is that so Mr, Yuy?" Duo let out another peal of laughter. "Love is many things, none of them logical"

Heero pressed a thick muscled thigh gently between Duo's legs as his hand stole downward to squeeze his ass. "Inconceivable." he whispered against the shell of Duo's ear, making the braided man moan and squirm. 

"You keep using that word." he panted, arching up of grind against the corded thigh. "I do not think it means … ah … what you think it means.”

Heero licked a hot path up his neck and nipped gently at the sensitive spot behind his ear, making his lover squeal and shudder as he played at his pebbled nipples. 

"I guess I'll just have to prove it to you with my actions then."

Then he claimed Duo's panting mouth in a deep and filthy kiss that left no misunderstanding between them.


	3. Chapter 3

Wufei set his phone down on the cushion beside him, tucking his hands back into his sleeves as he contemplated the carved stone water feature, letting the soft burble flow around him as he fell back into his meditation.

The Chinese inspired garden at the palace was beautiful. A quiet space, walled around with hand laid stone and towering bamboo, a peaceful stream running through it to a small crystal clear pond. Zechs had commissioned the space especially for him, seeking out rare old L5 texts and maps to inspire the design.

A lovely pavillion provided shade and a place to meditate, accessible by a stone carved stepped bridge that the Prince Regent had imported from Indochina. The clear pond was filled with stunning water lilies and lotus, inhabited by Koi in a riot of colours. Similarly gorgeous flowers filled the well-manicured space, interspersed with smaller, more private areas perfect for quiet contemplation.

The traditional circle entryway was crested with the Chang family crest and avatar, the soaring dragon, carved exquisitely and inlaid with semi-precious stones. Wufei had been moved beyond words when Zechs had presented him with the architectural plans, taking his hand and leading him to the spot on the castle grounds where construction would begin.

Wufei had been deeply touched by the amount of effort that his husband had put into the project and pleased that the blond had come to him for his input so that they could create the space together. A family space, only accessible by the four gundam pilots, the crown Princess, her au pair and bodyguard and two gardeners specially selected for its upkeep.

No one else had access to the place, all requests by both the parliament and media to tour the garden were gently but firmly denied by the crown. For Wufei, that was a solace. To have his husband steadfastly defend that one private piece of their lives in a world where so many eyes were upon them constantly.

This was where they could come to spend time as a family, Zechs and Wufei lounging among the brightly embroidered cushions in the pagoda while Ilora ran around laughing and playing. Wufei would doze in the blond's arms, the air heavy and sweet from the flowers and the smell of his husband and guide.

On warm nights, they would sneak away from the palace and make love under the stars, secure in the knowledge that both Duo and Heero were watching over the palace. Wufei would let his walls down further than he'd ever dared, trusting in his lover to cradle them both in his shields.

He gave a soft sigh, lamenting that they would not be able to share that passion so freely for a while. Not with the other pilots out of the country on a mission. Just the thought of being so vulnerable made fear spike in his chest and he took a few measured breaths, trying to release it and clear his mind. It had been most difficult in the days after Ilora's kidnapping and subsequent return.

Having to pretend to the nation and to the world that nothing was wrong had been hard enough as the situation was happening but they'd come through it with the nerves of steel that gundam pilots all seemed to share when the chips were down.

It was the aftermath of the crisis that saw the cracks appearing. Both he and Zechs had been hyper vigilant after the fact, hardly wanting to let their daughter out of their sight. Duo and Heero had gotten over things faster, more pre-occupied with Duo's changing abilities.

He'd tried to help as he could, pushing down his own feelings to deal with at a later date. Zechs had been no different, throwing himself into governance with a fervor not seen since his time as the leader of White Fang.

It had taken both Duo and Heero staging an intervention and sitting on both Wufei and Zechs in the secret garden for the festering wounds to be slices open and cleansed. It had felt horrible at the time and he'd cursed all three men to the colonies and back but in the end they'd both had come back close to the men they'd been before fear had infested their hearts.

Wufei had wondered what had been so different to his times in the war and it had been Sally Po, still a good friend, who helped him realize just what had changed.

"Back in the day, you had nothing to lose. You were ready to die for your cause in a heartbeat. Death meant nothing to a gundam pilot. She'd said while swirling the wine in her glass. "Now, you've got Zechs, you've got Ilora. Now, you have something to lose, you have something to live for. "

"To fail now would mean a pain even worse than death. A pain even worse that watching the Colonies be destroyed. These aren't random people who you never really knew." She'd pointed a finger at his chest then, right over his heart. "This is your husband and your daughter. Of course you're terrified."

He'd not known what to say to those honest words and had only thanked Sally sincerely and bowed deeply in respect. In the privacy of their chambers that night, he'd repeated the sentiment to his husband, feeling his painful realization just as keenly along their bond. They'd talked deep into the night, seeking solace in each other's arms.

There were still good days and bad days. They were still somewhat militant on Ilora's security and her movements but, emotionally, they were in a better place. With themselves, with each other and with their daughter.

Ilora been clingy since the kidnaping, prone to waking up crying and screaming. Many a night they'd both spent in her rooms, rocking her gently and singing to her as she wept. They'd managed to find a discrete child therapist, once again with Sally's help, who was helping the girl properly deal with the trauma she'd experienced.

They'd also ramped up her guide training by just a little, getting her more into meditating and doing katas with Wufei in the morning while Zechs spent time teaching her to strengthen her fledgling shields. Something had changed in her during the ordeal and though she wasn't fully awakened her abilities like her father and Duo had, she was more sensitive to those around her than before. Luckily she had a tribe of four crazy, loyal Gundam Pilots to help her along the way.

Duo had been devastated at the state of his team, and had been determined to recruit and train new members to replace the ones tragically lost in the kidnapping on the Princess. He'd taken poor Emma's death like a blow and had become fiercely over-protective of his people, becoming even more ruthless in pulling Sanq's intelligence network out of the middle ages.

Heero had actually been the most grounded of them all, supporting each of them when needed. He'd been their rock, calm and steadfast when they all seemed to be walking on shifting sands. He'd kept the palace guard under tight control and dealt with Une and the Preventers when Zechs was too busy or Wufei was too stubborn.

The man had seemed unflappable but there had been an undercurrent of kindness, care and affection threaded through his words and deeds; even when he provided just his silent company or a listening ear.

Wufei was overwhelmingly grateful for them both. His friends. His family. His tribe. Finding Duo and then Heero once again had filled a space he hadn't realized was in his life and having them with him had gone a long way to helping him find true happiness and contentment.

A step on the gravel path had him looking up and he saw Zechs just coming over the bridge, a delicious smelling basket in his hands. Wufei smiled as his husband toed off his shoes and stepped into the pavillion and settled by his side. The blond leaned in, claiming Wufei's upturned lips in soft, sweet kiss.

"I brought some snacks." he motioned to the basket. "I thought you'd be hungry."

Wufei quirked a brow at the selection of snacks and sweet cakes carefully packed in the wicker basket. "Aren't we going to ruin our dinner with all that?"

Zechs just gave a leonine smile and picked up a thermos full of Wufei's favourite tea. "Oh, I think we can think of some ways to work it off."

"Surely you're not suggesting we make love out here in the middle of the day do you?" Wufei frowned. "With the others out of the country, I don’t think it's wise for us to…."

His words were cut off when Zechs leaned in and kissed him again, laughing at Wufei's sputtering as he pulled away.

"I'm not suggesting that, don't worry. Besides, Ilora will be finishing up with her tutors soon and her team will surely escort her down here once she finds out where we are." He bit into one of the jam tartlets with an appreciative hum. "I was thinking along the line of doing some katas together on the grass."

"Ah," the Chinese man flushed, ducking his head as his cheeks went pink. He grabbed the nearest little cake and bit into it savagely. "Very well then."

Zechs gave a low chuckle that never failed to get Wufei's blood pumping. "We could still make out a little if you want. Ilora's session won't end for another twenty minutes."

Wufeu choked in his bit of cake, his cheeks flushing even deeper as his husband smirked coyly at him.

"Biàntài." [pervert] He muttered under his breath as he glared at the other man, his cheeks a ruddy red. "Kàn kàn wǒ xiànzài shìfǒu qīnwěn nǐ, báirén nánhái." [See if I kiss you now, white boy.]

Zechs just laughed and leaned over, tucking a lock of his husband's ebony hair behind his ear and planting a kiss on his reddened neck. " Nǐ hái yào wěn shéi, wǒ de lóng?" [ Who else are you going to kiss, my dragon?]

"Báichī" [Idiot] He scoffed, his lips already twitching into a smile.

Shaking his head fondly, he reached up to cradle the back of Zech's neck; tugging the man down for a deeper kiss on the lips. "Wǒ de báichī" [My Idiot.]

"Nǐ zhège báichī " [Your idiot.] The blond agreed heartily as he laughed against Wufei's lips. "Yǒngyuǎn de yǒngyuǎn " [ Forever and always]

When Ilora raced into the garden not half an hour later, she found both of her fathers, smiling and flushed with a basket full of yummy snacks still between them.

\------------------------

Une drained the last of her coffee cup and deftly placed the mug into the dish washer with the other dirty breakfast wares, setting it to wash. She gave the tidy kitchen a cursory look before humming with satisfaction, turning on a heel to leave. A look in the hall mirror allowed her to straighten the cuffs of her crisp uniform jacket and frown at the work schedule displayed on the corner of the glass interface.

Tonight was looking to be another late one and she silently cursed Dorothy Catalonia in her head. Even dead, the blonde was a head ache and a half. Half of Une's ground teams in and around Euroasia were chasing leads on the blonde's network, trying to find and capture all those involved with such gruesome business.

Une had been around in those early days when OZ had taken up the research that Romerfeller had started, ever at Treize's side. She'd read the detailed records, seen the secret labs, attended the meetings where human beings had been callously discussed like animals for breeding or weapons for war.

Trieze had personally found the subject abhorrent but that had in no way stopped him being involved. He had never been a stupid man, chivalrous and anachronistic yes, but never stupid. To be one of the select few included in Dermail Catalonia's trusted inner circle was a coup in itself and Treize had always been an ambitious man.

He'd never been afraid to look away from the horror, never one to flinch away from the difficult. To kill his own emotion to further his goals and bravely bear the guilt of their consequences. Never shied away from calmly calculating the terrible arithmetic that led to death of thousands, all to keep the ghastly scales of war balanced and true.

She'd never been blind to his many faults, not like tragic and lonely Milliardo Peacecraft who romanticized both the man and his memory in the end. Or like bitter and jealous little Dotty who both loved and loathed both her grandfather and step cousin simultaneously to the point of obsession.

Une had always been a realist, even as she had fallen deep in love with the charismatic leader, to the point where she'd suffered a psychotic break and developed split personalities in her effort to follow his contradicting orders. Even when she'd suffered and been hurt for following him faithfully.

Even as she swore to protect his legacy in Mariemaia while the rest of the world both glorified and vilified the girl's father from one breath to the next. He was the only man she'd ever loved and he'd died without her knowing if he'd ever truly loved her in return.

Une shook her head as she slipped on her work boots. In the end, it hadn't mattered. Loving Trieze was like loving the stars. One didn't expect the sunset to love one back. Her lasting solace was that she was making sure that his daughter lived a life full of love and happiness, secure in the peace that had been his ultimate goal.

Adjusting her Preventer's jacket, she took a moment to check her appearance in the mirror, smoothing down her hair and inspecting her minimal make up.

"Mari. I'm heading out." she called up the stairs, straightening her skirt as heavy footsteps thundered down the stairs. Une rolled her eyes. She knew the girl had enough training to move silently. She just loved bounding around the place like a normal girl her age would.

The redhead skidded on socked feet the last few metres of hard wood floor, stopped only when she thumped into her mother with a laugh. Une caught her as usual, hugging her squirming form briefly before pushing her at arms' length. She took in the young lady's outfit with a frown.

"You're not wearing that to the palace are you?"

Mariemaia looked down at her pyjama pants and oversized sweater then back up at her mother, shaking her wild red curls with a chuckle. "Nah. I'm not going anymore. Lori wanted to have a father daughter day with Dragon and Daddy Warbucks so I've decided to be a home body today. Nothing but movies, buttered popcorn and talking on the phone with boys."

"I can't believe Zechs still lets you call him that." Une gave her daughter an unimpressed look. "Just remember don't talk to anyone you don’t want me to run a full background check on. And don’t order too much junk food. There's perfectly good food in the fridge."

"Awww Maaaaa…" the redhead slumped comically. "Don't make me eat that weird broccoli dish. You hate broccoli, I hate broccoli. I don't know why you cook it if we both know it will just languish away in the fridge until it becomes sentient and eats off our faces while we sleep."

Rolling her eyes at their bleak and inevitable fate, the brunette gave her daughter a mock conciliatory pat on the shoulder, "Dark leafy green vegetables are good for the both of us. Doctor Po's orders."

Mari made a face at that. "Well, maybe Sally can come eat the damn broccoli." she squealed when Une flicked her ear, cupping her hand around the smarting lobe. "What was that for?"

"Don't be rude." Une retorted calmly, picking up her attaché case. "… and if you do go out today. Try… please try not to give your security team the slip. They have a job to do and I don't enjoy reading them the riot act when they lose you. It's not good for team morale nor my blood pressure."

The redhead pouted. "I wouldn't be able to give them the slip if they were half way competent."

Une just shook her head and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Not everyone is as skilled as Chang Wufei. Comparing ordinary officers to a gundam pilot is just asking for disappointment. Let them do their jobs ok? I can't have the Prince Consort of Sanq running after you every time you disappear anymore."

"I guess not. " Her daughter admitted with a small frown before her lips quirked into sly grin. "I guess he'll just have to send Duo and Heero for me then."

"Brat." Une huffed as her daughter laughed.

She was still shaking her head in exasperation as she stepped into her car, nodding at the driver who pulled smoothly out of the gates and unto the streets of the city. This security detail configuration was pretty new. She used to have just her driver/guard with her. Now she had a two motorcycle escort to the rear and a lead car to the front. All the vehicles were both armoured and armed.

Heero Yuy had taken one glance at Une's personal security and had torn strips in to her entire security department, Une included. Hearing him systematically rip apart Preventer security policy and procedure had been horrifyingly fascinating and had left quite a few bruised egos in its wake, hers especially; but it had been totally necessary.

Frankly, they'd needed a to be taken down a notch. Having a former gundam pilot ruthlessly show you the holes in your security big enough to walk a gundam through was a bitter pill to swallow but, by God, she'd swallowed her pride and got to work fixing the gaps.

With so many Preventers being former soldiers, herself included, they'd let themselves fall back into that mind set, not taking into consideration that the world around them was evolving past that way of thinking. The criminals out there were working smarter, not harder, and it was up to the Preventers to be smarter too.

To think that she would be so enthused to work with the same people she'd tried so hard to kill. How times had truly changed. She was still tempted to strangle Maxwell with his own braid from time to time but they both mitigated the situation by mutually avoiding each other as much as they could. There would never be any love lost between her and the L2 pilot.

She was soon settled into her office and, after a brief meeting with her assistant and a check in with most of her team leads out in the field, she took the time to sort through her emails as she sipped on fresh, hot coffee.

Satisfied that her people had things under control, she buzzed her assistant, letting him know that she wasn't to be disturbed for the next hour. Upon hearing his confirmation, she reached under her desk and flipped the switch that looked down her office from all communication and surveillance. Basically making the room into a bunker for all intents and purposes.

It was not something she did very often, only when she had to handle extremely sensitive information. Draining the last of her coffee, she pushed herself away from her desk and poured herself a refill. Only she didn't go straight back to her desk but instead went to a section of bare wall.

Pressing her palm against a hidden pressure plate made the wall panel snick open and slide aside with a hiss, revealing a much smaller room. This room was bare except for a few old school filing cabinets and a single desk with a computer on it. There was an ancient dot matrix printer next to it, a monster of a thing that screeched like a banshee whenever it pulled from the huge ream of paper that sat below the desk.

There was no chair as the desk had been heightened enough for her to use while standing. She never wanted to get comfortable in this room. She wanted no reason to linger here.

The machine itself was ancient, more than thirty years old. A relic of the old Romerfeller War Machine. The unit was self-contained, not connected to the outside in any way, even the power source and climate control were self-sustaining. There was no way for anyone to access the information other than how she was doing.

The boxy tower crunched and cranked as it booted up, the familiar black screen with green typeface prompting for a password. She'd long since memorized the almost thirty digit long code and typed it in easily. The welcome screen beeped. Her glasses glinted in the eerie green light as she took a long sip from her coffee and stretched out her fingers.

It was time to get to work.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for alcohol abuse, depression and brief thoughts of Suicide. Trowa is not a happy camper.

Commandant Andrej Vlastimil greeted them curtly as they arrived at the FOB. He was a heavy-set man with military cut, silver hair and a heavy scar along his jaw. Dressed in the more casual dark grey Preventer BDU's and combat boots, he seemed pleasant despite his taciturn demeanor. He gave them short, sharp bows in lieu of shaking hands and escorted them passed several security checkpoints.  
  
The Forward Operating Base for the Preventers in Prague was a large commercial building in the middle of an industrial park. Almost all of the buildings surrounding were empty or abandoned and the property itself was backed up against a pier where several preventer craft were docked.  
  
"The Preventers own most of the surrounding properties. It gives us the privacy and security we need. We usually use the space for special ops training," the silver haired man explained as he gave them the two-cent tour. "… as well as provide a staging area for missions Eurasia and Indochina."  
  
The place was enormous with a large warehouse floor and attached offices. Officers milled about busily in between vehicles and small aircraft, sorting and analyzing the evidence brought in from the Catalonia case. The armory was well stocked with a variety of ordinance that Duo hadn't seen since the war and there was a compact yet well-equipped comms unit that had even Heero raising an impressed brow. Their tech division was sweet little set up, a team of serious looking analysts staring at screen after screen of data pulled from the Catalonia Residence.  
  
It was there that they met Rosarie Lenka, Senior Analyst and Section Lead. She was a startling platinum blonde with piercing grey eyes that shone with intelligence as she welcomed them, shaking both their hands. Duo got an impression of undaunting fortitude as well an acute disdain for the domineering men often found in her profession. Her stunning hair was pulled into a bun and wore a pair of thin, silver glasses.  
  
They settled into a large conference room, all four of them settling close to one end of the table while an aide brought in a coffee tray and sorted cups for them all.  
  
"We've managed to get at least fifteen more names and three more secret locations from the servers you sent in. I've already cc'd you in the latest reports."   
  
The commandant began with a frown.   
  
"Unfortunately, that's pretty much all the good news we have. Most of the information is still under heavy encryption and it's proving to be a tough nut for our people to crack."  
  
Lenka nodded in agreement and tapped on the tablet in her hands. Images started popping up on the three mounted screens behind her showing symbols and numbers threaded together.   
  
"We were able to crack the first level of encryption pretty easily, in a few hours really. There were a few traps and sub routines hidden within the system, but we were able to either remove them or circumvent them completely." She shook her head. "I admit I was wary at how fast we got through the first level. For someone with Catalonia's reputation it seemed almost too easy."  
  
Heero narrowed his eyes. "Decoy?"  
  
"I thought so too. Well, that is until I saw what we had to face next." She made a face. Frowning at her screen then up at one of the monitors. "We got a break by running cipher sequences. It was quite tedious to crunch through all of it, but we were able to decipher one block then, with that, get to cracking the rest."  
  
She sat back in her seat and sipped on her coffee, making a face before taking another, even bigger sip. "We should be able to complete within the next twenty six to thirty two hours. Our real problem is the third level. It’s a real nightmare. Neither symmetric nor asymmetric and it doesn't even respond to syskey algorithms like it should. "  
  
"This is the third time I've heard you explain it and a still can't make heads or tails of it." The commandant shrugged and shook his head, waving his had as if swatting at a fly. "Half of it sounds like gibberish to me. Flies right over this old brain."  
  
The blonde gave him a look, tapping one lacquered nail unto the tablet screen.  
  
"Commandant, it's your job to kick the bad guys' ass, and it's mine to kick this code's ass. And like you, I am really fucking good at my job. So, I think it will be for the best if you stick to your guns and bombs while I'll stick to my monitors and 'gibberish', ja?"   
  
"Ja. Ja." The older man huffed a laugh, raising his hands in surrender. "I know which battles I am equipped to fight. My apologies."  
  
Lenka nodded curtly and turned back to the pilots, flushing at the amused looks on their faces. She cleared her throat abruptly, gesturing back to the screens.   
  
"It's nothing like I've even seen before. Everything we've thrown at it just seems to slide off. Nothing sticks. Nothing works." the blond made a frustrated sound, tapping agitated fingers on the tabletop. "Every time we get close to seeing a pattern of some kind, it ups and changes its entire structure. It's almost as if it is alive somehow."  
  
Duo clenched his fists at her words, picking up her agitation from across the room. Heero quietly pressed his knee against Duo's and the stress immediately eased back. He took a deep breath in and out, sending silent gratitude in return. He forces his hands to relax, rubbing his sweaty palms on his suit clad thighs.   
  
Heero went unnaturally still as he stared at the monitor, his intense eyes flying across the devilish looking code. He felt tense under Duo's scan and the braided pilot looked over his shoulder in concern, his lips twisting as he read along.   
  
"That looks familiar." he murmured under his breath.   
  
Heero grunted in reply. "That's because Catalonia loved beating a dead horse. It's Zero Base Modified. I remember it from piloting Ephyon."  
  
"Shit." Duo breathed out. "It is, isn't it? She really had a hard on for that thing, didn't she?"  
  
The Commandant sat forward in his chair as Lenka's eyes went wide. "You recognize this code?"  
  
The Japanese pilot tilted his head. "Not this permutation but I know the code it was based off of though."  
  
The woman was half out of her seat. "Will you work with my team? Provide samples of what you know? The more we learn about this … base code… the faster we can crack this son of a bitch!"  
  
"We will be happy to assist." Heero nodded but also held up a hand as the analyst started making for the door. "After we do what we came here to do first. Commandant, do you have the room ready?"  
  
The commandant nodded solemnly, turning to give the impatient blonde a long look. The woman seemed to understand well enough that she'd been dismissed so she respectfully nodded to both pilots and let herself out of the room without another word.   
  
The older man led them down several corridors to a doorway where two Preventers stoodguard. One was holding a hard silver case which he promptly held out for Heero to take along with an evidence chain of custody form. Heero scanned the document before signing and handing it back.  
  
The other opened the door to reveal a midsized room, laid wall to wall with padded gym mats. There was a cooler with water, juice, energy drinks and a few sandwiches against one of the walls. Next to it was a large first aid bag.   
  
The commandant handed Duo a small radio. "This room is sound proofed and has no surveillance measures installed. Use the radio to contact the guards if you need anything. They have my orders to open the door and do a health check if they don’t hear from you in two hours."  
  
Heero scanned the room then turned back towards the officer. "Thank you, Commandant. This is very satisfactory."  
  
The man gave the room one more look before bowing and closing the door behind him. Heero tilted his head, as he usually did when he was listening at long distance.  
  
He grunted. "Not entirely soundproof but good enough that no one will hear us." He shrugged off his jacket, revealing his shoulder holster. "No bugs either. He was telling the truth. Can't hear the hum."  
  
Duo just nodded, uneasy, his mind already on the small silver case that his partner had set on the padded floor. The medallion was in there and he was going to have to touch it again. Suddenly his lover's face blocked his view and calloused hands were warm against his cheeks.  
  
"You with me 02?"  
  
"Yeah." Duo gave a shaky nod, shrugging off his own suit jacket and unclipping his holster. "Yeah. I'm with you. Let's do this."  
  
Heero nodded and toed off his shoes, assuming the meditation position in the middle of the padded floor, the silver case at his side. Duo took a few more seconds to follow, swallowing heavily as he toed off his own shoes and divested his pockets of all they contained. He paused before tucking the velvet gloves into his jacket pocket and took one final breath, checking his mental and empathic shields one last time.  
  
He took a position opposite his partner, trying not to fidget nervously. He could vividly remember the backlash he'd felt the last time he'd touched that thing and a large part of him wanted to forget that it ever existed.  
  
But Duo Maxwell was never one to run away from the things he needed to face. And he just knew that this medallion had something important to do with this whole Catalonia thing. He was sure of it. So he'd do what had to be done. He'd face the memories. He'd see the things that he needed to see, feel what he needed to feel.   
  
It was in that moment that he was so fucking grateful to have his sentinel at his side, his partner, his lover, his strength. His Heero. Someone to have at his back always so that he didn't have to face things alone.   
  
"You're distracted." Heero's voice was soft in the quiet of the room. "Your heart's racing and you smell upset. What can I do?"  
  
"I dunno." Duo shrugged, opening eyes to meet an intense blue stare. "Can't seem to settle. Nerves I guess."  
  
The Japanese pilot hummed, glancing down at the silver case by his side. He placed a hand on it and slowly pushed it behind his back, out of Duo's sight. He then held out his hands to the braided pilot.  
  
"Come here. Sit between my legs."  
  
Duo gave him a look but did what he ordered, moving to sit between his lover's legs, his back pressed against that firm chest. Muscled arms hugged him close as Heero's nose and lips pressed gently at the base of his neck.  
  
"What is this? Cuddle time?" Duo tried to joke but his lover only nodded.  
  
"You always feel better when we spoon. Now, listen to my heart beat. Feel my chest as I breathe in an out. Try to match it. I've got you."  
  
Duo gave a full body shudder, gasping as he pressed his back into the firm chest. Something all twisted inside him loosened up and he all but melted in his lover's arms. "God, Heero."   
  
The Japanese man just nuzzled his ear. "That's it. I've got you."   
  
Falling into meditation was surprisingly simple after that, both of them leveling out into the calm, floaty space. Duo drifted, feeling along the edges of Heero's sentinel aspect, that bright shining warrior and protector spirit which warmed him to his core. Shinigami rustled its giant, ragged wings in the shadow of his mind, allowing his partner’s light to brush over its leather and scales lovingly.  
  
"I'm ready." Duo said as he shored up his shields. He felt Heero nod against him and cupped his hands in preparation. The medallion was cold against his bare palm and he took a deep breath as he closed his fingers around it.  
  
The world went white.  
  
\-----------------------------------   
  
Trowa stared out of the shuttle window, feeling the ever-pervading sense of dread he'd been feeling creep further up his chest. The smooth curve of Colony L4 gleamed against the deep black of space, tiny spots of other space craft floating around it like scavenger birds.  
  
His fingertips trailed the damp edge of his scotch glass, at least they'd left him that solace. There were three empties on the tray, and he smirked viciously as he poured the fourth one over his ice; remembering the disapproving look the stewardess had given him as when he'd requested it.   
  
Che. He couldn't care less what some random stranger thought of him. It wasn't like he was embarrassing himself in front of any of the other passengers. The shuttle was almost empty, only a few poorly disguised Maguanacs seated near the doors, watching him furtively.  
  
Maybe they'd thought he was lose his shit and try to open an airlock, killing them all. He didn't blame them. The thought had occurred to him more than once on the flight. So did hijacking the shuttle and making a break for L2. he'd learned enough from Maxwell during the war on how to lose himself there.   
  
The braided pilot talked a lot in those days during the war. Mostly useless rubbish that filled the air with noise but Trowa had learned from a very young age how to keep his fool mouth shut and listen. And so, listen he did as Duo filled the air with words.  
  
Often to the point when he'd forget sometimes that Trowa was even there and his words would take on a different, deeper meaning. Until dark thoughts, fears and secrets spilled helplessly from his lips, ripped from his chest and laid bare to the world. Until the words ran out and all that was left was raw, scarred silence. 

And still, Trowa would listen. Anything to fill the deafening silence of his own mind.  
  
He drained his glass in one long go, catching the hostess watching him with a disgusted expression before schooling her face into a pleasant expression. Fuck her anyway. She didn't matter. None of this mattered.  
  
Not the tailored suit he was wearing that had surely been custom made to his current measurements, right down to the underwear and shoes. Not the expensive car that had been waiting right outside the door like Rabi'a had said, the silent driver ready to take him to the tarmac where the empty shuttle waited.   
  
Not the delicious, five course meal he was offered at the private lounge where everyone simpered and addressed him as Mr. Barton-Winner. Not the quick footed and professional valet that helped him get freshened up and changed for the flight, deftly collecting his old clothes and duffle bag with a benignly banal expression that never changed.  
  
All that mattered really was the circus and the sinfully expensive scotch he was currently enjoying. Qua… the Winners always had the very best taste. He signaled for another and the stewardess came forward reluctantly.  
  
"I'm sorry Sir, but we'll be docking soon. The captain has ordered that we can't …."  
  
"Cut the shit, Lady." Trowa snapped, making the woman jump. He looked up at her from behind his fringe. "… it takes at least a half an hour for a shuttle like this to dock, that’s not counting being in queue, the docking sequence and the post flight checks. We're not stepping off this piece a shit tin can for another forty-five minutes at least so you can take your excuses and shove them up your captain's ass. Do you see ANYONE else on this fucking flight?"  
  
He knocked all the little bottles off the tray with a swipe of his hands, sending them all scattering and rolling under other seats.  
  
"Now get me my goddamn drink and refresh my ice while you're at it."  
  
He saw her glance at the nearest Maguanac and chuckled darkly as the stern man eventually nodded. Fuck them, he thought as she hurried to fulfill his requests. He rolled his head to look out of the window once more, the massive colony slowly filling his viewport as it grew steadily closer.  
  
He ignored the hostess' murmur as she set fresh drinks on his tray, his mind already spinning with dread. He poured the amber liquid into the cut crystal glass and slammed the whole thing back while the ice was still hissing.  
  
Fuck them. Fuck them all.  
  
His eyes stung with sudden, bitter tears but he quickly blinked them back.  
  
And Fuck me too.  
  
Eventually, the loud clanking echo of docking echoed through the cabin and through his brain like a gun shot, the ship shuddering as the airlock completed its seal.  
  
"Here we go." he muttered as the 'escorts' started coming down the aisles towards him. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire."  
  
There was a familiar face at the air lock.  
  
"Master Trowa." the man greeted him with a bow, his distinctive hair and beard streaked with grey.  
  
"Rasid." Trowa acknowledged with the barest of nods, slouching his shoulders as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "So, they sent you to take over babysitting duty?"   
  
The old man's eyes were as sharp as they were when he led the Maguanac Corps, staring at the men who'd come off the shuttle with him before looking back to Trowa.  
  
"I wanted to see you. To welcome you home myself. It's been too long since we've spoken."   
  
His voice held that, long familiar warmth that Trowa vividly remembered, bringing forth fond memories of their time during the war and immediately after. Camping out with the men, laughing with them and sharing stories of their families, their lives. Sitting in front of the fire, a warm shoulder tucked against his. Soft blonde hair tickling under his nose. Feeling warm, loved, like he truly belonged.   
  
Before things had gotten cold. Before they'd gotten bad.  
  
Trowa swallowed heavily, still feeling the burn of the alcohol in his throat. A bitter mix of bile, regret and exhaustion swirled on his tongue as he met the Arabic man's stare directly. He looked passed the man shoulder where a transport vehicle was waiting for them both. 

"Yes, it has been a long time hasn't it?"  
  
Rasid smiled and gestured him towards the vehicle. "Now that you are home, I look forward to catching up with you. Much has happened since last we met."  
  
Trowa suppressed a flinch when the larger man clapped him on his shoulder, steering him towards the waiting hover transport as the Maguanacs settled into formation around them.  
  
He took one last look at the curved horizon of the colony with its colourful flags and street stalls, it's happy smiling people and felt like he was going to throw up all the scotch he'd guzzled.   
  
He stepped into the carrier.  



	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Discussion of Murder. Minor Character Death. Trauma of a child.
> 
> Ok. I just want to thank all the people who add stuff to fandom wikis all around the world. you guys are fucking awesome. one simple search to find out obscure fandom information like dorothy's family tree without wading through pages and pages of docs or re-watching the shows for clues.

"She took the medallion off her father's still cooling corpse."

Duo's words made the conference room go quiet. Voices dimmed and went silent while the clatter of typing tapered off. Heero, who'd been quietly working quietly on the Zero code next to him, quickly set aside his laptop and took Duo's hand in both of his.

"Are you ready to talk about it? Shall I call the others?"

Duo nodded, looking up at the room for the first time in hours. Rosarie Lenka, who'd been working with Heero to crack the Zero Code Modified, nodded sharply and stood, quickly ushering several members of her cyber squad out of the room, leaving the two pilots alone.

After the intense vision which Heero had informed him lasted only ten minutes but had seemed like hours, Duo had been as silent as the grave. He'd accepted the energy drink Heero had coaxed into him and had devoured all of the sandwiches with a single mindedness that had concerned his sentinel.

They hadn't needed the first aid kit. Although Duo had left marks on his palms from gripping the medallion too tightly, his nails hadn't broken the skin and they'd already started to fade.

Heero had taken him back to the conference room and settled him in a chair to meditate, giving him the time he needed to parse through the vivid experience while staying close enough for his partner to ground himself with Heero's presence.

Apparently Lenka had spoken to the Commandant because he came striding into the room, the monitors on the wall lighting up with familiar faces.

"Lady Une. Your Majesties." the man greeted with a respectful bow then turned to the pilots. "I took the liberty of establishing a secure line according to your instructions, Agent Yuy, as well as the other security measures you requested."

Heero nodded in thanks then turned to the screens. "Zechs. Wufei. Lady Une."

With one hand still grasping Duo's, he reached over to his laptop and typed in a short command.

"I've just sent you the latest on what we have so far. Between what we collected in Sanq and from Catalonia's residence, we're getting a pretty clear picture of her operations. Thankfully, she was a great believer in 'if you want something done, do it yourself' and her web of operatives seems to be relatively small. Fortunately, Doctor Zazca seemed to be the driving force behind the medical side of things and with her death, a major part of the operations have ground to a halt."

"Ja. Ja." Vlastimil nodded along, checking through the file in front of him. "We raided her residence as well as a small free health clinic she ran as a front for her more insidious enterprises. We arrested her staff who had no problem with singing like canaries when they realized what a deep hole they'd found themselves in."

Heero typed on the laptop some more. "Apparently they believed that anonymity was sufficient security because Zazca had nowhere near the encryption Catalonia had."

Zechs frowned at the report he was reading.

"Eugenics? Humans by design?"

Heero hn'd. "She was pretty much straight forward with what she told Mariemaia in the warehouse. Her ultimate goal was to develop better human beings, capable of surviving the rigors of deep space travel and colonization. A guiding hand to the evolution of humanity."

"And the research from OZ…" Wufei mused, "All to be utilized to achieve her ultimate goal. Such dedication to an idea that eventually became a deep seated obsession."

"And the encrypted files from Dorothy's residence? Any progress on that so far?" Une tapped a gold pen against her lip. "I have a feeling that the woman had her fingers in many pies."

"Che. You don't know the half of it." Duo mumbled, his head hanging down as he rested his elbows on his knees. He had both his hands around Heero's tightly but not enough to hurt. Heero gave him a squeeze, sending reassurance along the bond as Duo gave a soft sigh.

The Japanese pilot tilted his head toward the screens, "We've been able to make some headway with it now that I was able to give Lenka's team what Zero codes I was able to recover after the first war. Catalonia's version is way more advanced but we have a starting point at least."

Zechs frowned. "You think Dorothy has something else hidden in those files? Something far more sinister that genetic engineering?"

Heero looked down at the complex code running on his laptop screen. "The encryption is way too advanced for the information the Doctor had and if I know Catalonia, she would have never let the security be so lax at the clinic if that was her only secret."

"So what else would the blasted onna have been hiding?" Wufei growled, disgusted at the data he'd been reading. "What could be worse that human experimentation?"

Duo gave a mirthless chuckle. "Why, the quest immortality with a side of world domination, of course."

"Wh… what?" Zechs's breath stuttered, sitting back in his seat. "Immortality?"

"With Romerfeller, seeking world domination is a given." Une leaned forward with a frown. "If you think about it, searching for immortality isn't much of a stretch. Zealotry is easy to cultivate amongst the very rich and the very religious.

The braided pilot slowly breathed out, giving his partners hand one more squeeze before sitting up to face the room.

"Agnus Dei. The Lamb of God." he shook his head in disbelief. "It seems that Grandpappy Dermail was even more batshit crazy that we ever imagined."

He slumped in his chair, glancing over at Heero and brought their arms up so that he could kiss the back of his lover's hand.

"I'm only going with what I got from the medallion and it's still a bit jumbled but here's what I know so far. The medal once belonged to Chillias Catalonia. Son of Duke Dermail and Father of Dorothy. I got glimpses of him as a younger man with a woman I believe to be Dorothy's mother… I never caught her name."

"Ariadne Catalonia nee Voskeller." Une supplied promptly, her face solemn. "Only child of Aldritch Voskeller. One of the high ranking members of Romerfeller and close compatriot to Dermail."

"Yeah, pretty lady, sad eyes." Duo nodded along, his eyes glued to the empty table top as if he was looking right through it. "Seemed before precision gene manipulation they'd had to rely on good old fashioned selective breeding. Arranged marriage. Not too happy it seemed."

He shook his head as if dispelling whatever he was seeing. "Secret meetings within secret meetings. Dark rooms lit by lamp light, deep red cloaks that looked like blood. Gold faceless masks carved to look like lambs. Cold … cold eyes."

His voice trailed off, his eyes going distant. Heero leaned closer, squeezing his hand and placing a palm against Duo's cold cheek. "Come back to me, Saiai [beloved]."

"Domo. [thanks]" Duo blinked and leaned into the warm touch before sitting back up again.

"The strongest memory was of Dorothy as a young girl. Barely six years old but already had a mind like a steel trap. She'd snuck downstairs after a party held by the Duke because she'd wanted to see the fancy dressed people. She'd seen her father's robe and mask and had snuck out of bed to sneak a peek."

The braided pilot's voice took on a sort of lost quality, his eyes going distant as if he was seeing something none of the others could.

"It was late and the ballroom was cold and dark, nothing like she'd usually see when there were great to-dos. She managed to hide on one of the upper balconies, wrapped in her dressing robe and night slippers. The dim lamp lights didn't give off enough heat to keep her warm so she shivered."

It wasn't long before the fancy dress people came in, holding candles and looking so fine in their velvet robes and golden masks. There was one whose mask was different, he had the curved horns of a ram and his mask was scarier than the others. He had a large, echoing voice. Her grandpapa. Duke Dermail."

Duo shivered but continued, oblivious to the way the others hung on his every haunting word.

"The Ram was angry. He was yelling, his voice echoing though the large ballroom. Talking about tradition and betrayal of the cause. Suddenly he pointed his candle at one of the other cloaked figures in the circle. The figure in question gasped and cried out, struggling as two other figures grabbed their arms and held them fast."

"The mask and robe were then stripped away. Papa. It was papa. She couldn't make a sound. She was cold she was frightened but if she were caught here it would be the cane for sure. She hated the cane. It hurt so much and she wasn't allowed to cry. She bit down on her fist to keep from crying out."

"Papa struggled, yelling about legacy and the innocence of children at the Ram figure, shaking his head and digging his feet as he was dragged forward. He cursed as the Ram spoke, grunting as one of those holding him punched him in the stomach, making him fall to his knees."

The braided pilot grimaced, running his hand through his bangs. "It gets a little dicey here. A lot of fear. The Ram speaks. Talking about sacrifice and keeping the blood pure. About staying the course set in motion generations before. About being strong enough to do what was needed. Papa yelling back that they were wrong. That they'd lost their way. That they were monsters, making more monsters. "

"The others didn't like that. They grumbled in the darkness. Papa looked around for help, calling out to others. To Uncle Humbelt who stood silent. To Mama who shuddered and turned away, her candle going out. Then finally, to the Ram who stared back with ice cold eyes."

Duo shuddered, swallowing heavily so that he didn't bring back up his sandwiches. "They slit his throat. Right there and then. Then they stood around watching as he bled out on the mosaic floor. She had to listen to him gurgle as he choked on his own blood. That fucked her up in all kinds of ways. Jesus."

"Gods above." Zechs murmured, utterly aghast.

Duo licked his lips and accepted the bottle of water Heero pushed toward him. He drank half of it in one long pull before playing with the bottle in his hand.

"They left the body right there, in the middle of the floor like they didn't even give a damn. She vividly remembered the Ram telling another figure that he only had one true son now and informed him that it was his duty to 'take out the trash'. How fucked up is that, right?"

He shook his head in disbelief. "After they left she managed to come down from the balcony and creep to her father's body. He was still warm to the touch, his eyes still open and staring up at her."

"She tried…" he broke off, taking a deep breath. "She tried to wake him up. But he just wouldn't wake."

Wufei hissed a soft curse, the pain in his voice caught by the sensitive mic. Zechs only hummed his agreement. Duo hissed a breath through clenched teeth.

"It's unclear how long she stayed with him. Time works differently in a memory. Her nightclothes were soaked in his blood by the time she heard someone coming. She panicked at the thought of being found and jumped up in fright, ripping the small gold medal from his chest by accident, and ran all the way back to her rooms. It wasn't until she was stripping her blood soaked clothes off in the bathroom to hide them that she realized she had it in her hand."

He closed his eyes, long moments of silence going passed as he finally let the harvested emotions go. He had no need to hold unto them anymore. They'd done their job.

"Holy Shit." a voice broke the heavy, contemplative silence, making them all look to Une. She had a stunned look on her face, her eyes far away as she cupped her hands over her mouth. "I'd heard that Chillias had died in a car crash. Treize remembered getting the call. Ariadne went mad soon after and was confined to an asylum until she herself died but that was hushed up by the family."

Zechs shook his head. "Humbelt died just before the war. Thrown by his horse at his country home. We attended the funeral. I'd never seen Dermail so furious. The entire family. Haunted by tragedy. Old sins have long shadows."

Heero huffed a sharp breath. "No wonder Catalonia was so fucked up. Raised by the man who coldly ordered her father's death. By a man who watched his brother die and said nothing. A woman who turned away from her husband in his time of greatest need then went mad for it."

"A man reaps what he sows…" Duo intoned solemnly, reciting from the scripture Father Maxwell often quoted. "The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."

"Amen to that, my friend." Vlastimil concurred solemnly, his own scarred face frowning deeply. "So, what does this mean for us?"

"We must further look into Agnus Dei." Heero replied, pulling his laptop close once more. "I have a feeling that this is what Catalonia has hidden behind the encryption. If there is a secret society behind this and it still exists in anyway today, we need to know about it."

Zechs nodded and turned to Une. "We'll let the Preventers handle the Agnus Dei situation. This seems shaping up to be more than a few gundam pilots can handle. Besides, Sanq doesn't have the infrastructure to successfully counter international terrorism nor do we want to even wade into that mess."

"I concur. This shouldn't be linked to any one country in particular. Especially one still finding their place in the world stage." Une nodded then gave a sly smile. "Still, you shouldn’t underestimate Gundam pilots Zechs. I think 01 and 02 alone could topple a government or two."

The blond huffed a laugh. "Actually… now that I think about it…"

"Hòu liǎnpí húndàn" [cheeky bastard] Wufei growled, making them all chuckle. 

They dismissed the debrief soon after, Heero leaving the Zero Code Modified in the capable hands of Lenka's team and ushering an exhausted Duo back to the Hotel. All they could do now was wait for the tech team to break through the last level of encryption.

Une had pledged to start looking into Agnus Dei while Zechs and Wufei promised to call again once the pilots had gotten some rest and food in them.

Heero took care as he checked over his drowsing partner. Duo still had Ilora's barrette in his pocket, thought the empathic strength of the touchpoint had waned in time, it was still a comfort to the braided pilot.

He took in the tired slump of the other man's shoulders, the dark shadows under his eyes, the downturn of his full lips. Touching the medallion had really taken it out of the man and Heero longed to take that pain from him.

Not that Duo would let him though. He was stubbornly independent and hated when Heero tried to over-protect him. Duo would get this look in his eye and tell Heero in no uncertain terms that he was a grown as man and gundam pilot to boot. That he could make his own damn decisions and he'd kick his sentinel's ass to hell and back if he tried to subvert his autonomy again.

"We're partners Yuy," He'd growled, low and menacing, as he got up in Heero's face. "You're not my father or my master. You don't get to tell me what to do and expect me to just follow along like some slave because some fuck all, piece a shit, ancient manuscript tried to convince you that what a sentinel says goes that that the role of a guide is just the helper. We are equals in this, now and always. You got that?"

Heero had gotten it, loud and clear, almost staggering from the oppressive presence of Shinigami bubbling so close to the surface. Duo had stared into his eyes for long, tense seconds before nodding sharply and walking away to cool off.

After that, Heero had been determined to temper the more instinctual side of his sentinel aspect, balancing concern with care, strength with support.

Duo had been right. They were partners in this. One incomplete without the other. They needed to be able to trust each other like they'd done during the wars. To work together seamlessly and have each other's backs through thick and thin.

Duo flopped on the bed with a groan, wriggling to get comfortable then all but melting into the bedding. Heero chuckled and pulled off the man's shoes, watching as his toes wriggled in his socks. He manhandled the pilot unto his back, unbuckling his belt and pulling it from the pants completely.

Duo watched with lidded eyes as his lover divested him of his various weapons, rolling petulantly when prodded to that his jacket could be wrangled off. Heero left his braid alone. Only Duo himself messed with the weapons secreted within the long twist of locks.

When his lover had been stripped down enough to rest comfortably, Heero leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead; running a hand down the brunet's back soothingly as he fell into sleep. He'd let him rest now, there was enough time for food and a bath later.

He made a mental note to order Duo's favourites from room service as the man was often ravenous after recovering from an intense empathic event. Maybe, if they both felt up to it, they could go out for dinner and see the city. As Duo had reminded him when they'd first landed, neither of them had ever been tourists here before, most of their missions to exotic places leaving no time to sight see.

He was already pulling up restaurant listings on his phone by the time his laptop booted up, scanning their menus and reviews as well as reading up on interesting local tourists sites that Duo would enjoy. He gave a small smile as he typed, the steady beat of his guide's heart grounding him as he got to work.

\-----------------------------

"Doctor Winner, there's a call for you on Line two."

"A call? Ok. Thank you Shamud." Iria hummed and looked up at the nurse standing in the doorway. "I'll be right there"

The hospital buzzed with activity as she walked to the nurses' station, slinging her stethoscope around her neck easily as she reached over the curved desk to pick up the receiver.

"Dr. Iria Winner. How may I help you?"

"Iria? Oh thank god!" The voice on the other end was breathless, almost sobbing. "I've been trying to get through to you for so long."

The blonde frowned, recognizing the voice. "Catherine? Is that you? What's the matter?"

"It's just that he promised to call me and he hasn't and I'm getting really worried. You should have seen the look on his face when he got into the car. I wanted to drag him back out again and just run, circus be damned."

"Catherine? What?" Iria was so confused. Some of the nearby nurses were starting to give her concerned looks so she lowered her voice and turned away from them. "Cath, calm down. Who are you talking about?"

The other woman heaved an exasperated breath

"Trowa!"

"Okay. Okay." the blond tried to calm the other woman, "What about Trowa? What happened to him? Where is he?"

"What do you mean where is he?" Catherine's voice went a bit hysterical. "You haven't seen him?"

Iria flinched away from the volume, giving an apologetic look to the nearby staff who were now openly staring. Keeping her voice calm, she tried to sooth the upset woman once more.

"Cath, I haven't seen Trowa since he disappeared. Just walked away, leaving his wedding ring in a glass of scotch. The message that he was just done with it all couldn't have been more loud and clear."

"But… but…" the redhead's voice had gone eerily soft. "But you guys came to the circus and got him. You told him if he didn't go with you that the circus would lose its funding."

"I didn't even know that he was back at the circus much less make contact." The blonde shook her head in disbelief. "And the trust for the circus is guaranteed by an iron clad contract Quatre set up himself. Who threatened to discontinue it?"

"Rabi'a…" Catherine made a noise like a muffled sob. "Rabi'a Winner. She… the things she said. She made it sound so… they came and took him away in a car and I haven't heard from him since."

The other woman took a shaky breath. "Iria , I'm so scared. I fear I won't ever see him again."

"My God." Iria breathed, her mind racing. "Look, I'll see what I can find out. Don't worry. I'll get to the bottom of this. I promise."

She checked her cell phone, her finger lingering over her sister's number before she scrolled passed it and selected Sadiya's. She was de facto head of the family was in a better position to find out what the hell was going on.

"Cathy, I will call you when I know something alright? Please stay calm and wait for me to contact you."

"Thank you, oh thank you." The relief was clear in her voice. "I'll forward you Trowa's new phone number, just in case it's some kind of signal glitch. If you get through to him, tell him to call me ok?"

"I will." Iria promised and made her goodbyes.

"Everything alright Doctor?" The head nurse inquired politely. The blonde nodded distractedly, already dialling her phone as she walked briskly down the hallway to the nearest empty stairwell. She'd paced the landing three times by the time the call picked up.

"What is wrong 'ukhti aleaziza [dear sister]?" Sayida Winner greeted her warmly "I can feel your distress from here.

Iria took a deep breath and stared out of the window, her blue eyes following the curved horizon as she marshalled her thoughts.

"I just got a call from Catherine Bloom at the circus on L3. She wants to know what the hell have we have done with Trowa Barton."

She spoke carefully and calmly, trying to supress the sense of unease that was growing steadily inside her.

"And frankly al'ukht alkarima [honoured sister] , I would like to find out that as well. "


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING *oral sex* between men. sexy times for my boys. yay!

Duo had been well rested and eager for a romantic dinner with his lover that evening. They'd walked from the hotel to a lovely little place, Heero looking deliciously casual in his dark grey cable knit sweater, slacks and charcoal peacoat against the evening's chill. Duo had thrown on a burgundy turtleneck with a pair of well fitted jeans and a black trench coat, his braid tucked under the garment and out of sight.

The restaurant was warm and elegant, with pristine white tablecloths, warm lamp light and courteous staff. Duo quickly extinguished the decorative candle at their table, not wanting his sentinel to zone accidentally on the flickering flame.

Dinner was divine, both tucking in eagerly as Duo was still ravenous. He always was after using his gift extensively, and so he was all but squirming in his seat as the dishes were brought to the table.

Heero just smiled indulgently as he tucked into his Zeleninová polévka, a traditional czech vegetable soup, mild enough for his sensitive palette and full of seasonal vegetables. Duo, meanwhile, was ploughing his way through a bowl of hearty Kulajda, a creamy dill soup with an intense sour taste, with a facial expression that was half pucker, half delight. He'd always been the adventurous eater, even during the war, never failing to give anything new a try after a lifetime of bland L2 rations.

They followed up with smoked pork Uzené, savoury potato Bramboráky, beef Karbanátky with braised red cabbage and a basket of braided, fluffy Houska rolls along with some ice cold, locally made lager.

Conversation flowed easily, the pilots enjoying the chance to spend some time alone together without worries. Duo laughed, free and easy for the first time since the kidnapping and Heero found himself grounding himself on the sound like he was sinking into an all-encompassing warmth. His Guide all but glowed in the honey coloured light of the room, his eyes bright with pleasure at both the food and the company.

For dessert, they chose to get some strawberry filled

Jahodové knedlíky fried dumplings and some spiced Pernik cookies with delicate white icing to take with them as they strolled towards the massive Old Town square. With Duo's arm hooked through his and the braided pilot pressed close to his side, Heero quietly realized that he was just about as happy as he'd ever been.

The city was stunning with its old-world architecture and friendly, colourful people. There was almost no structural damage left over from the wars, even the newer buildings had been designed to blend seamlessly with the historical aesthetic of the city.

Duo rambled cheerfully at his side, eyes wide and curious as he did the sightseeing he'd always yearned to do. The brown paper wrapped parcel was opened on one side and they both dipped into it randomly, pulling out the baked sweets and humming in pleasure at the burst of fresh fruit or the sweet burn of cinnamon and spice across the tongue.

They stood a while in front of the great gothic church that dominated the square, Duo staring up at the massive church with undisguised awe while Heero stared at Duo, their hands clasped securely in one another's. Heero felt his heart twist in his chest, his love for the man before him deep and abiding.

Duo completed him in every way. He filled up parts of Heero that had been cracked, cold and hollow since his time with Odin Lowe, before he even met Doctor J. Duo had been the one to truly see him during the war. Had seen passed all the bullshit, passed all the training and conditioning. Had seen right to the heart of the Perfect Soldier even though Heero had not been at all ready for anyone to do that. What he had been was scared and he’d run away from the braided pilot, run all the way to Relena and had fallen into darkness.

Duo had been the one to save him. Had been the one to hear his cry for help even from the deep cold of space. The man had travelled to earth, had abandoned all he'd known, to come and fight for a man he'd hadn't seen in years. He'd fought, tooth and nail, against someone he'd called a friend; just so that Heero could be freed from the darkness.

"I love you." he said softly into the night air, giving his lover's hand a soft squeeze. Duo blinked and turned to face him, a brilliant smile creeping across his face.

Heero couldn't help himself. He leaned forward and caught his partner's lips in a tender kiss, sending all of what he couldn't say out loud across their bond. Duo whimpered and pressed closer, his other hand cupping the back of Heero's head tenderly as the kiss deepened.

Duo tasted like strawberries and cinnamon and really good beer and Heero thought that he wouldn't mind just kissing the man forever. Standing there, bathed in golden light of the city, pressed close to the firm body in his arms, was just close enough to perfect. Duo's fingers played with his hair, tightening briefly as Heero's tongue slipped past his.

When they finally broke apart for lack of air, Heero pressed his forehead to his lover's, wanting, no, needing to stay close.

"Wow" Duo huffed a breathless laugh. "You really know how a sweep a girl off her feet, don't you?"

Heero grinned and rolled his eyes. "I want you." he pressed a kiss to the corner of Duo's mouth, his tongue ducking out to lick some cinnamon sugar there. Duo's eyes darkened and he pressed his body closer with a growl.

"You, me, hotel. Now." he tugged at his lover impatiently. "Either that or we find a nearby empty alley because, one way or the other, I am going to get my mouth around your cock and suck your fucking brains out."

Heero's eyes dilated as he drew in a sharp breath, already half hard in his pants at those growled words. He looked around quickly, mind racing as he weighed his options. Then, nodding sharply, he tugged a giggling Duo by the hand; striding determinately to one of the buildings nearby.

The alley was quiet and clean, and most importantly, completely deserted. It curved around a building or two, obscuring the view from the street completely. Heero barely had time to choose a safe spot before Duo had him pinned to the wall and was kissing him again, hot and filthy. Heero moaned into the kiss, his hips bucking as his hands slid up his lover's sides and slipped underneath the turtleneck to caress Duo's warm skin.

The braided pilot's hands with quick and deft at his belt, freeing his aching cock; those expert fingers fisting the hot and throbbing shaft to full attention. Heero gave a full body shudder at the feel of the cool night air against his sensitive flesh, his eyes caught in Duo's as the pilot slid down his body. His lover gave a wicked grin, licking his lips in such anticipation that Heero's cock jerked at the sight of it.

"Kami." Heero's breath felt punched out of his chest as he was surrounded by sucking heat. He collapsed back against the rough stonework of the wall, bracing himself so that he didn’t melt into a puddle. He could only stare, transfixed, at that cupid's bow mouth stretched around the thick girth of his cock. At Duo's cheeks hollowing out every time he suckled at the shaft in that sanity stealing heat.

His whole world narrowed down to the tongue that was massaging the vein along the underside of his shaft, worming its wicked way around the flared head, probing at the slitted tip. His eyes rolled in their sockets when his lover moaned, the vibration echoing through him like a struck bell, and he reached out with a trembling hand to cradle the back of Duo's head; not seeking to push but needing to ground himself with touch.

Duo's eyes were dark with desire, keeping steady eye contact even as he bobbed deeper and deeper. His hands gripped Heero's hips, bracing himself as well as keeping the man from bucking too wildly. With a low, wanton moan, Duo swallowed to the root and stayed there for long seconds, his throat working furiously against the intrusion.

Heero hissed a string of curses, mixed in with breathless pleas and platitudes. He could feel his balls tightening up and he choked out a warning, gasping out as his lover seemed to take this as a sign to suck harder. Helpless to do anything but try to hang on, Heero let the pressure build inside of him until it proved to be just too much.

He came with a cry, his orgasm intense enough to make him curl over his lover, his vision blurring as his cock throbbed and spilled into that warm and waiting throat. His body tightened up, his muscles clenching as he shook, his blood rushing loudly in his ears.

"Fuck." he panted as his lover ruthlessly milked the last of the seed from his throbbing cock, "Fuck. Fuck."

He let his head fall back against the wall, winching at the slight pain as he tried to get his heart and lungs back under control. He shivered as Duo finally pulled off with a slick pop, opening his eyes and looking down in time to see the other man lick droplets of cum from the corner of his mouth.

Unbelievably, Heero's cock gave a valiant twitch at the sight and Duo laughed, low and husky, before licking a hot stripe up his softening shaft. The Japanese man brought his hand forward to cup his lover's cheek, watching in amazed wonder as the man leaned into the caress with a lazy, indulgent smile.

Duo's lips were wet and swollen as Heero ran his thumb along them, smearing a white droplet along that full bottom lip. The braided pilot gave him a saucy wink and sucked the finger into his mouth, running his tongue along the calloused pad.

"Fucking lethal. Shinigami indeed." Heero said roughly.

Duo laughed and kissed his lover's palm before carefully tucking the now flaccid cock back into its confines and standing.

"I am the God of all Death after all, be it big or small."

He leaned in close, wrapping his arms around Heero's neck and pulling him down for a kiss. Heero moaned as he tasted himself on his lover's tongue, reaching down to cup Duo's ass and pull him even closer.

"What about you?" he panted against the man's lips.

Duo kissed him again, licking deep into the hot cavern of his mouth lazily before pulling back. He kissed along that sharp jaw until he got to his ear.

"I came just from blowing you. You're so hot when you lose control." his breath was hot against the sensitive skin there. "Good thing I'm wearing a long coat. You may have to help me peel out of these jeans later though."

Heero let out a surprised chuckle, burying his face in his partner's neck, revelling in the simple act of holding the man he loved close. Duo's warm hand on his cheek had him looking up into bright, happy eyes and a wide grin.

"Oh yeah, and if that amazing blow job didn't give you enough of a clue. I love you too Hee-chan."

Heero laughed and kissed him again.

On the way back to the hotel, Heero's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and frowned at the name popping up on the screen. Duo leaned in close as he answered with a sharp "Yuy."

It was Vlastimil. His normally relaxed voice was thick with an unspoken tension. "Sorry to contact you so late but we've had a breakthrough with the code. There is something that you need to see."

"Hai." Heero acknowledged curtly, exchanging a look with his partner. Wordlessly, they both started jogging back to the hotel. "Give us twenty minutes."

"Ja." The commandant replied. "I've already sent a car to the hotel garage. They will bring you to where I am without having to stop at the FOB first."

"Situation hostile?" Heero grunted, sprinting up the steps to the lobby, Duo at his six. "Armed enemies?"

Vlastimil hesitated.

"Unknown but highly likely." he paused. "Body armor advised."

"Acknowledged."

"So much for a quiet night in…" Duo grumbled as they hit the room, peeling off his clothes and making a beeline for the shower. "Nothing cockblocks like the damned mission."

Heero grunted in agreement, shrugging off his coat. He reached into the back of the closet and pulled out a pressed carbon shell suitcase. He flipped it open and began pulling out their custom combat gear, setting everything neatly unto the bed.

The wall safe revealed their weapons and they geared up quickly, checking each other over before slipping on a pair of dark long coats and taking the back stairway down to the garage. As the commandant assured, there was a black SUV waiting for them on the empty back street and as they hopped in, the driver quickly eeled the car out into traffic.

They were taken to a military airfield where the Commandant quickly ushered them into the troop transport. It was one of those slick stealth numbers that hardly made a whisper in passing. Duo quirked an impressed brow as they strapped themselves in and the aircraft rose to a hover, gaining altitude smoothly.

One of the crew handed them headsets and watched as they secured them before giving them a thumbs up and heading back to the cockpit. Vlastimil sat across from them, his own head set in place.

"Lenka's team cracked the code. Your Zero Code was just the thing they needed." He leaned forward and handed them a tablet, a scowl on his face. "Turns out we were right to keep working on it. Catalonia was keeping her biggest trump card close to her chest."

He nodded towards the tablet Heero and Duo were scanning intently. "She kept a secret lab in a mountain region near the border. There's mention of test subjects. Still alive. We've tracked the co-ordinates and have a satellite asset moving into place for recon."

The older man's face was grim. "We don't know what they might have done with both Catalonia and Zazca dead. We may be too late still. They may have sanitized the programme altogether."

"Kuso." Heero hissed under his breath, scanning the data at stunning speeds. Duo's hand on his thigh kept his levels even but it was a close thing. The aircraft may have been built for stealth but he still had to keep his hearing dialled down quite a bit. He looked back up at the commandant. "ETA?"

"We should be there in two hours."

The Japanese pilot nodded and bent back over the tablet with his partner. Half an hour later the satellite images came through. The compound was still there, disguised as a quaint mountain chalet. Infrared scans showed signs of life and they all breathed a bit easier.

The craft put down in a large field with barely a whisper among the surrounding trees. As the huge back ramp lowered from the bank to allow the all-terrain vehicles to roll out, Duo gave it one last appreciative look. He'd definitely have to ask Zechs to get a couple of these for Sanq. They were fucking sweet.

They drove without lights across the rolling grassy hills, the moon light bright enough for them to make their way towards the lab. The commandant and two of his seconds, Heero and Duo scouted ahead, peering at the unassuming chalet from the ridge of the nearest hill.

Heero ignored the subtle whine of the night vision glasses the others were using, hie eyes easily making out the details of the building from a distance. He dialled up his hearing, grounding himself on Duo's heartbeat before extending himself further.

He could hear the rustling of the men beside him, the wind in the grass and trees. The murmuring of the other preventers waiting for orders to move forward. The creaking of the house as it settled, the soft murmurs of quiet conversations and the hum of a generator.

"Multiple bogies on several levels. Two on the top floor, three on the main floor and three more patrolling the grounds."

He took a deep breath and tilted his head, "Several heartbeats on at least two sublevels. There's shielding so it's hard to tell. They're steady… like they're sleeping. I… I can't be sure. There's some kind of interference. Some kind of white noise."

"That's enough 01," Duo's hand was warm on his shoulder. "Time to ease it back now."

Heero nodded, reeling his senses back in slowly so that he didn't suffer a snapback headache. The commandant gave sharp orders and before long they were moving in without a sound. The perimeter guards were easily taken down by the preventers, the teams splitting up as they breached the house.

The gundam pilots' main objective was to get to the sub levels and secure any hostages first and foremost. The last thing they wanted was for some zealot to try to terminate the experiments in some kind of last-ditch attempt to destroy all the evidence.

Duo frowned as he followed his partner through the large house, listening as Preventers scuffled with the unsubs they encountered. If it was up to him alone he would have slit all their goddamn throats but sadly, the Preventers were peacekeepers and demanded things like trails, jail sentences and due process. He'd let them keep it, they had the manpower and infrastructure to see those kinds of things through.

A spike of alarm rippled across his mental shielding and he stilled, Heero stopping along with him, his gun drawn and alert. Secure in his sentinel's presence, the braided pilot thinned his shields a bit, blocking out the alarm of the subdued unsubs and the grim determination of the Preventers.

There. Another spike of alarm, coming from below. Duo blinked and turned to Heero. "Something's happening. We need to go now."

The other man nodded curtly and started to run, his senses trained on some unknown target. They soon came to a door and Heero wasted no time in ripping the keypad from the wall, exposing the wires. Duo got to work, wires sparking as the door clicked open with barely a squeak.

The sense alarm grew as they darted down the stairs, working in tandem as they each took point and provided cover in turns. Suddenly Heero growled and shouldered his way through a set of heavy doors, gun drawn and firing as he took out a man in a lab coat. The man yelled out in agony as his kneecaps shattered, falling to the ground and writhing.

Heero stormed over and grabbed the keycard from his hand before dragging the man by his collar over to an empty corner. He threw the card to Duo who turned to the terminal, his sharp eyes taking in the wall was full of screens showing footage of the upper floors where Preventers were milling about, securing the unsubs.

Several screens were filled with rooms holding people of various ages. Duo breathed a curse as he looked their frightened, gaunt faces. He centre screen still had a red prompt page, asking if he wanted to sanitize all cells and to please insert authorized key card.

"Bastard" he glanced back angrily at the man who was tied up and still weeping in pain before carefully selecting the abort action. Then, after taking a deep breath, he calmly walked over to the prone man and kicked him square in the face, breaking his nose and setting him howling.

"Bastard." He hissed again.

Heero was at the monitors, his keen eyes narrowed as his fingers flew over the keys. When he was done, he nodded to Duo and, grabbing the key card, they made their way to the containment level.

The wary feeling in Duo's chest grew as they drew closer, tugging at him until he was standing in front of one of the cell doors.

"This one first." He told Heero who only nodded and slid the card through the locking mechanism. A young man in a pair of oversized scrubs stood calmly in the centre of the cell, his brown hair a curly mop on his head; his eyes a warm chocolate brown.

"You're like me." he blinked in surprise. He took a few stumbling steps forward, looking from one man to the other with a trembling smile. "Oh wow. You're here to help us?"

"Pretty much, Kid" Duo gave him a grin, "We're with the Preventers."

"Not a kid." The boy huffed indignantly, "… and you can't talk, Mr. Babyface. You look as young as I do."

Duo chuckled, already feeling at ease in the strange kid's presence. Shinigami fluttered its wings in bemusement. "I may look young but at least I'm not a fetus."

Heero grunted before the strange argument could devolve any further. "We need to free the others."

The boy looked at the Japanese pilot with interest.

"Amazing." he seemed to blink in wonder, then caught himself and nodded. "We need to open 313 next. She can help me with the others. Some of them may be hurt and some of them…."

He paused, his face sad. "Some of them are a bit insane. We may not be able to open those doors right now. Not until you arrange some kind of containment. The people who ran this place were not kind."

Heero stepped aside, letting the teen lead them to another door. When it opened a girl rushed out and glomped the boy, both teens clinging to each other in desperate happiness. She was darker, with olive skin and wild brown hair that fell in messy curls passed her shoulder. Her voice was husky and somewhat breathless.

"Thank god you're ok. I heard Tasker trying to set the purge and almost broke my shoulder on this damn door."

The boy laughed and just clung tighter. "I'm ok. It's ok. The Preventers are here to rescue us."

The girl turned to face the gundam pilots, her face wary as she stared at them. "Which one of you broke Tasker’s nose?"

Duo raised a hand and gave a cheeky smile. "That would be lil' old me. Heero-chan shot out his knees caps though."

She looked from one to the other for a long moment then smiled. "Good. That fucker deserved it."

"You heard us?" Heero arched a brow. "How many senses for you?"

Both teens froze, the smiles faltering on their faces. Duo gave them a reassuring grin, looping his arm around Heero's neck.

"Heero here has all five enhanced but we've read about other people having just one or too. It's nice to finally meet people like us face to face."

The girl sputtered. "I.. You…"

"They're like us." the boy whispered in awe, looking up at them with shining eyes. "And they really want to help us. I can feel it."

Heero nodded with a small, fond smile before tilting his head, as if listening to something far off. He then looked at the other doors. "The Commandant is on his way down. Let's see about getting the others freed and getting the fuck out of here. I get the feeling you have a lot of questions."

The young man laughed and nodded his head, slipping his hand into the girl's and squeezing. They shared a heavy look between them before turning to face the pilots with hopeful smiles.

"Yeah… let's do that."

**************************

Casting Pictures


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, i love casting for my fics and doing art for them. it sparks joy. anyway... warning for language because Rabi'a Winner is not a nice woman. For real... not nice at all.

"They just kidnapped them off the streets?" Wufei was livid, his face dark and stormy as he flipped through the brief once more. "Honourless dogs."

"Most of them, yes, according to the records we were able to recover." Une sipped her coffee. "Some they found from military records and police reports and the like: Incident reports and newspaper articles of extraordinary people. A few they lured in with simple want ads promising lucrative rewards for people with certain skillsets."

She paused and set aside her cup. "Some of them were remnants of what was left of the old Romerfeller experiments before the war. They'd been there for years. Some of them decades."

She shook her head at the horrible thought.

"Those are the ones still in containment. Years of experimentation and abuse have left them incredibly unstable and those who are not all but catatonic are near psychotic. Maxwell was extremely firm on those precautions and we've decided to use the chalet itself as holding for now because it's too risky to move them."

"And the others?" Zechs was still reeling from the awful revelations that had come from the mission the night before. "Are they safe?"

The Lady nodded, "They were taken to local Preventer barracks until they could be examined and debriefed. So far we've found evidence of long malnutrition and dehydration as well as scars and injuries from ongoing medical experiments. We have a team compiling accurate medical records in case this thing ever goes to court."

She shuffled the files before her.

"We've already started collecting their information and searching for next of kin. Unfortunately, most of the younger ones were orphans or runaways and it may take longer to track down relatives."

"That is… if they even want to go home in the end. After everything they have been through." The blond mused thoughtfully. "Back to people who have gone on living their lives without them."

He shared a look with his husband then turned to Une.

"For those who either can't or won't return to their previous lives, I would like to offer them sanctuary in Sanq. We will take them in and see to helping them rebuild their lives anew."

"I also feel uniquely driven to take these people under my wing…" Wufei nodded at his side, jaw still tight with fury. "It's the least we can do for all they've suffered for something they cannot control."

Zechs reached over and threaded his fingers through his husband's, "I don't even know them and yet their pain calls to me. It seems right … almost instinctual to want to protect them."

Une chuckled. "I'm not surprised. Considering that Maxwell and Yuy have all but adopted the pair they met at the compound and refused to leave their sides through the entire ordeal. The commandant finally had to give in and file paperwork for the two to seek asylum in Sanq so that 01 and 02 could take them into protective custody."

Zechs huffed a laugh. "Yes, this was the first time I've ever been woken for an early morning emergency hearing with a panel of high court judges. They were all very polite though and looked just as sleep deprived as I felt so I didn't mind too much."

Wufei just shook his head, his fury at the situation loosening enough him to let much of it go. He'd have to some intense meditation later to get himself back on an even keel but for now, he could think clearly and calmly.

"I haven't seen Shinigami cluck around like a frazzled mother hen like that since Quatre got shot that one time back in the first war. Good thing they both have diplomatic immunity because they almost started an international incident in judges' chambers."

Zechs grinned. "Ok. Let's take a look at Sanq's newest residents. Duo all but talked my ear off about them when we spoke earlier but I've yet to see pictures of them."

Une chuckled, pulling up two photos on a nearby screen. The first was of a beautiful young woman with olive skin and wild, curly hair. She was giving the camera a skeptical look which gave Une impression that she would give both Maxwell and Yuy a run for their money. Good. She smirked internally at the thought. Maxwell needed someone to keep him on his toes.

"Michelle Jones, prefers to be called MJ. Eighteen years of age. Taken about a year ago after she saved her apartment building from an electrical fire that started in the basement. If she hadn't smelled the smoke and alerted others, it would have been much too late."

"She was lauded as a hero and there were a bunch of articles written about her, mostly by small time news outlets. A few months after she was taken while walking home from her night class. It was thought to be human trafficking and the case was passed on to the federal level and lost in the shuffle."

"Her family?" Wufei rumbled, staring intently at the girl's face.

Une frowned, "Mother left home when she was six. Her estranged father is currently in his latest stint in rehab for drug addiction and because she is of age, she's chosen not to return to her old life. Besides, she stated with no uncertain terms that she was not going anywhere without the other one."

She selected the second picture. The young man was pale with wide brown eyes and a friendly smile. His brown curls flopped around his ears and looked like they badly needed a comb.

"Pietr Parker. Nineteen. He's been in and out of clinics since he was a child before his aunt and uncle finally came to Doctor Zazca when he was fifteen years old."

Wufei was aghast. "They went to her with the child, voluntarily?"

Une took a sip of her coffee. "A doctor and mutual friend they trusted reached out to them. I believe that they were not truly aware of the insidious truth. Sadly, both were killed in a vehicular accident just two weeks after so Mr. Parker was just quietly kept on as a ward of the Doctor."

Zechs narrowed his gaze. "There's something more isn't there?"

The brunette nodded, pulling out another file. Inside was a picture of a winsome brunette woman with the same brown eyes and smile. She had to have been the boy's mother.

"We found this information in the encrypted files. Marta Parker and her husband Riktor were part of an outpatient programme that was a front for one of their breeding experiments. The programme was scrapped eventually because several members who oversaw it were killed during the war but both Dorothy and Zazca had access to the records. Riktor and Marta died when a mobile suit fell into their building during battle. The boy was with his aunt at the time and was adopted by them soon after."

"So they were keeping an eye on him for some years." The Chinese pilot growled low in his chest. "I would not be at all surprised if the Aunt and Uncle's accident was not so accidental. Those sons of turtle bitches."

Zechs hummed, sending soothing comfort along the bond to his brooding dragon. "At least they are with Heero and Duo now. They will bring them home where they belong."

Une nodded along, "Speaking of the old records. I was able to source some more information for you."

She took out a thick sheath of papers from her attaché case and set it on the table. Her face was serious as she rested a hand on the pile.

"These are for your eyes only. The only other place they exist is on a self-contained server in a secret location that only I know. It was Treize's back up plan against Dermail and he took steps to destroy as much of the original data in his wake, setting the research back by decades."

"Treize…" the blonde shook his head ruefully. "… always plans within plans withing plans."

Une gave him a moment before continuing. "I've also printed out a few patient profiles so you may be able to trace a few of them. Many of them were released by Oz forces and disappeared into the populace before Romerfeller could scoop them up again. "

Her eyes were hard. "There are many people who would kill or worse to get the information I am giving to you now."

Wufei bowed solemnly. "We will keep it safe. Thank you for trusting us."

Une stared at him, searching his eyes for long moments. Finally, she seemed satisfied and took her hand from the file, letting Zechs pull it closer.

"I have one matter to discuss. After this whole business came out, I've been looking at my people; seeing if anyone suited the same criteria as you and Zechs. There have been a few that I've found. People with something extra, sharper skills, a gut feeling that's almost never wrong."

She pulled out one last file from her case. "I haven't brought this up before now because they've been on a long-term undercover mission that was too sensitive just to satisfy my curiosity."

Zechs opened the file, setting it between his husband and himself. There were personnel files of two Preventers, handsome and sharp in their uniforms. Attached was a candid photo of the same two men sitting side by side in a medical ward. They looked vastly different. Scruffy and exhausted, smeared with dirt and blood, their eyes haunted and wary.

"Why come to us now?"

"They have come back home: mission successful and both are in the need of some down time. One of them was wounded in the extraction and neither of them have been dealing with the recovery period well. "

She tapped a finger on the table.

"I want to second them to the palace. Get them near you and Maxwell and Yuy. They are the closest thing I've seen to a bonded pair since you and Chang almost jumped each other's bones in my office that day and I don't want to lose two more good agents because I didn't know how to help them."

Zechs flushed at the blunt reminder of pre-bonding with his sentinel while Wufei just harrumphed. "Stop teasing my husband Une, he's not Preventer Wind anymore. When will they arrive?"

Une gave the man a smirk but didn't needle the blushing blonde further. "They'll be in Sanq tomorrow."

Zechs glared at them both before finally nodding. "We'll be ready."

\--------------------------------

Trowa woke in stages, the usual hangover reboot that left his head ringing and his mouth tasting like dead cat. He groaned and turned his face into the down pillow, wincing at the mock sunlight that passed for daytime in the colonies.

He blinked lazily, the room coming into sharp focus. His travelling suit was hung up on the closet door, no doubt the rest of his 'custom made' wardrobe had been packed away in the drawers while he was unconscious.

Normally, he would have been crawling in his skin to have someone moving around his space while he was asleep but being here was like being in enemy custody so he had to react accordingly. He'd long learned to choose his battles. 

No one disturbed him while he took a shower, shaved and brushed his teeth, twice. Stepping out of the bathroom, he paused in the doorway. A simple breakfast was set on the small table by the window and a freshly pressed suit lay on the bed, shoes and belt set out next to it.

He frowned, trying to slow his pounding heart. He hadn't heard a thing. He sat and mechanically ate the tomato and egg Shakshuka with hummus and freshly made pita bread, trying to ignore the fact that the dishes were his favourites and tasted just like they used to; the strong black tea waking him the rest of the way up.

It didn't take long for someone to come collect him. Rasid greeted him cordially, smiling serenely as he led Trowa through the large home, along with their 'escorts' of course. It wasn't the main residence though it was just as beautiful with its lush foliage and dazzling tilework. Trowa didn't recognise the place. Must be one of the junior sister's houses.

Rasid left him at the large carved wooden double doors of the main study with a bow. Half the escorts stayed behind, taking up positions in the narrow hallway. Trowa watched the older man leave, so many words stuck in his throat. He wanted to call out to the man, ask him to stay. Beg him to take Trowa away far from here. But he didn't. He swallowed the words like ground glass and turned to face his inevitable fate.

Rabi'a Winner looked every inch the queen she saw herself as. Head held proud and draped in jewels with her bright, intelligent eyes and cold beauty. She wasn't blonde like most of the Winner children, her dark colouring inherited from her father, her flawless caramel skin from her concubine mother.

She was the twentieth daughter of twenty-nine, nowhere near the high status of the older sisters, and her mother had been of low birth. Despite how forward thinking and well-loved the Winner patriarch had been, the hierarchy within the family was a brutal one. Quatre had been lucky to be born male, his status as scion elevated him beyond all others automatically.

They'd discussed it, before their marriage. Quatre had wanted Trowa to be forewarned about the complicated family politics he was walking into. As a gundam pilot, Trowa had been no stranger to subterfuge and intrigue and he'd loved the blonde pilot enough to make anything worth it.

Rabi'a had been one of their staunchest allies, her love for her little brother going way beyond currying favour or climbing in status. Oh… she was still ambitious as fuck, ruthless and willing to sell her own mother for a leg up, but Quatre held a special place in her cold little heart.

"Hello dearest brother," her velvet voice barely hid the razor's edge of her disdain, "It's wonderful to see you back where you belong."

Trowa took in the room. Airy and well-appointed with French windows that opened out into a private garden and expensive, plush furnishings; the place looked welcoming enough for a warden’s office.

Rabi'a sat comfortably behind a chic modern desk, the exquisitely tailored black number she was wearing accentuating all her curves in the right places. A large diamond wedding ring graced her finger though Trowa had never met the man she’d apparently married at any of the family gatherings he'd ever attended.

Her second stood at her side, silent and ever watchful. Hasfah Winner was one of those quiet ones people needed to watch out for. She was the twenty seventh sister and wasn't more than a few months older than Quatre. She was whip smart and sly behind that modest exterior and mousey glasses, a perfect accomplice and support to Rabi'a's bold machinations.

Trowa took the seat offered, forcing himself to adopt a relaxed position. Carefully, he prepared his first volley of the oncoming battle that would surely take everything he had to survive unscathed.

"Funny you should say that. Considering you think that my place is by Quatre's side, I'm surprised that we're not at the main house. You haven't fallen out of favour with the nadi al'iikhwa [sisterhood] have you?"

The smile fell off her face briefly and he saw a glimpse of the loathing she truly felt for him. It was terrifying to behold. Within seconds she'd composed herself, the cloyingly sweet smile back on her flawless face.

"Ever so charming Trowa dear. I love my sisters dearly and everything I do is for the family." She gave a laugh and it was chilling in its barely concealed malice. "Though some may not see it that way now, in time, they will look back and respect all of the efforts made today."

She tilted her head coquettishly, her wavy dark hair tumbling over her shoulders as she gave him a small insincere smile. 

"And as for why we are here at Hazfah's home is that it seemed the best place for the convalescence. Quiet, peaceful and most important of all, private enough to conceal our clandestine comings and goings."

"You sound proud." he glanced at the ever silent and watchful Hazfah then back to Rabi'a. "But then again, you've always been overly confident."

"Indeed." she purred, "I have to be in this man's world. Even the Winner name is not quite enough to get me what I want in this life so I have had to go out and take it myself."

She stared out of the window unto the garden beyond with a faraway look in her eyes. "Even dearest Quatre knew what it was to work for his dream. No matter how much was handed to him just for being born male, that never stopped him from striving towards his ambitions."

Her stare grew brittle as she clasped her hands together.

"That's part of what I loved and admired about him. He never gave up. He never stopped. And he never stopped pulling us all up along with him. My darling al'akhu al'asghar [little brother], He was a god among men."

She seemed to come back to herself, her eyes sharpened and going hard. "It broke my heart to see you abandon him so, Trowa. He loved you beyond all reason."

"So did I…" The tall pilot felt his heart twist, his words coming out pained. "And he left me long before I did him. There was nothing left of the Quatre I loved in the end."

Something dropped on his cheek and he realized that he was crying. He quickly wiped away the wetness with a sleeve and blinked rapidly, trying to keep the rest back.

"Ephyon left me a widower and, sadly, Quatre pulled the trigger himself."

Rabi'a seemed unmoved by his pain, tapping a well lacquered nail against the hard top of the table. "But he wasn't actually dead was he?"

"He was as good as."

"Semantics." she sniffed scornfully. "You vowed till death do you part. You should have stayed until his last breath."

Trowa shook his head. "And kill my own heart in the process? That's not what Quatre would have wanted for me?"

"HOW COULD YOU KNOW WHAT HE WANTED?" Her hand came down unto the table with a band as she half stood from her chair. Her teeth were clenched around her sudden, furious words. "You who scurried away in the silence of the night like a cockroach! Leaving your promised one behind, in pain and trapped in his own mind because of that fucking L2 trash monkey."

She leaned over the surface, her eyes flinty and cold as she glared daggers at him. "That godless abortion is lucky that Sadiya declared him an sidiyq aleayilat althamin [treasured ally of the family] or I would have had his throat slit in a dark alley and his body mutilated for his lover to find."

He hair fell to hang in front of her face as she bowed her head and took a few deep breaths. Trowa stomped ruthlessly on his own fear, gripping the arms of the chair to stop them from seeing his trembling.

When she looked up she had the genial smile on her face once again, terrifying in its realness. "Lucky for you, I do know what my little brother wants. He was always a stubborn thing. So forthright and earnest."

She sat back into the chair, making a show of straightening her clothes and fixing her hair. She pulled out a compact to check her makeup.

"Ch. It should have made me hate him. His big heart of gold. His Blessed Heart of Space. But he loved me so purely and truly. He loved us all like that, without reservation. I think he may have loved the whole world like that once. I felt humbled to be loved like that."

She turned to stare at Trowa. "We didn't deserve his love."

Trowa found himself nodding shakily. "No, we didn't."

She raised a brow an went back to checking her lip gloss. "How fortunate for us that he chose to love us anyway."

She closed the compact with a sharp snap, making Trowa wince, and set it back into its drawer. "That fortune is the reason you are here now, whole and in relatively good health and not strung up from the high top of your precious circus with your belly split and your entrails strung like your precious high wires."

“Enough of such wishful thoughts…” She waved a hand towards the open window and the garden beyond. "It is time to fulfill your wedding vows, brother. Your husband has been yearning for you. He's missed you terribly."

Trowa felt the world grind to a halt, a cold seeping over him at the words. His heart stuttered in his chest as his pulse thundered in his ears.

"Quatre's here?... He's awake?" His voice sounded thready and far away.

Rabi'a smiled and it like a shark coming in for the kill. "Of course, he is. I've never doubted for a minute that he would fight to come back to us. To all of us, you included. He has always been the strongest of us."

Trowa felt cold… like a man walking to his execution. The garden was lush and well maintained, filled with sweet birdsong and the sweet smell of cultivated flowers. He registered none of this. Nothing but the motion of putting one step in front of the other.

He took a painfully shuddering breath as the foliage cleared, revealing a large wicker wheelchair containing a blanketed figure. Only Rabi'a's iron grip on his elbow kept him from stumbling.

Quatre looked as he always did… almost. His body was unnaturally still and motionless, his skin pale from so much time spent indoors. His blonde hair was neatly brushed back out of his face and he’d lost weight.

His beautiful face was slack and his mouth hung slightly open. A nurse stood at his side silently, reaching out deftly to wipe some spittle from the blond's mouth before stepping back once more.

The blonde was in a dove grey wool suit, even in the sunny faux weather and even then Trowa could see the tiny tremors wracking his too thin frame. Only his vibrant eyes were as they once were, blue as the cloudless desert sky and full of love.

"Quatre…" Trowa sobbed, clasping his hands to his mouth as his eyes went wide. "Oh god Quatre."

A tiny mechanical device attached to the chair beeped, a tinny voice coming from its speakers.

::Trowa. Alhabib. [beloved] how I have missed the sight of you face and the music we made together.::

The tall pilot choked; his eyes drawn to the machine with horrified realization. His lungs felt like they were being crushed in his chest, each breath hurt as they stuttered in and out. He couldn't wrap his mind around what he was seeing. He couldn't speak. Words just wouldn’t come. If he opened his mouth he would start screaming and wouldn't ever stop.

The blonde didn't seem to notice. The chair moved forward with a soft whir, gravel crunching under its heavy wheels. The voice, that was so close to the blond's it was truly uncanny, came again.

::I am so glad that you have come back to me. Now we can finally be a family.::

Trowa blinked in disbelief as another nurse maid came around a large flowering bush, leading a blonde toddler by the hand, cooing as he worked his little legs along the gravel path. The child let out a peel of laughter and ran to hug at Quatre's still legs, his stubby little arms not quite making it because of the thick blanket in the blond's lap.

"Abi. Abi!" [daddy] the boy yelled joyfully, his blue eyes shining happily as his blonde curls bounced on his head.

Trowa felt his breath coming in short, painful gasps, his heart beating painfully beneath his ribs. His voice was almost a whisper. "Wha… what is this? What the hell is going on?"

"This is your legacy. Your duty." Rabi'a hissed from beside him as Quatre's eyes went bright with happiness.

::My love, this is Nehaan Taz Barton-Winner. This is our son."

Trowa fell to his knees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cackles maniacally*
> 
> Because i'm ebiiiiiiiil. 
> 
> Surprise Tro... You're a DADDY!!!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some lighthearted fluff to make us all feel good before the plot moves along.

Duo took a deep breath and held it, letting his head fall back as the familiar smell of baked pastries and good coffee easily mellowed his mood. The sun was warm against his face despite the crisp breeze that the time of year usually brought. The trees rustled softly around him as sweet birdsong filled the air.

The small garden park was far enough away from the roads to muffle the sound of traffic yet near enough to the palace for security reasons. It was a place of peace, much like Wufei's private garden and Duo had missed the days when he'd had more time to spend there.

It was good to be back in Sanq. Back home after the craziness that was the trip to Prague. Duo huffed to himself and sipped his strong, hot coffee from its recycled carboard cup; humming in appreciation for the barista who always remembered exactly as he liked it.

A crisp white paper bag smelling of freshly baked pastries sat beside him on the wrought iron bench, next to it a recyclable tray with three other cups; all bearing the familiar logo of a nearby cafe. It was one of his and Heero's favourite places to go when their hectic lives at the palace go to be too much and the friendly and courteous staff knew them well.

He plucked idly at his sweater, just enjoying the quiet when carefree laughter had him looking up with a smile.

Peitr was rolling on the cut grass, his white shirt already stained green as he squirmed, his body curling and flailing.

Even from across the way Duo could see the bright honey brown of his eyes and the untamed curls which tumbled about his ears. His cheeks and neck were flushed red from both exertion and the happy embarrassment that Duo could feel along their fledgling tribal bond. 

Duo had been startled at how easily he'd connected to the young guide, even before they'd met face to face. The spikes of alarm he'd felt rushing along the halls of the chalet had been from the teen and the moment they'd opened the cell door and had seen him standing there patiently, Duo had known deep in his heart that this boy was tribe; no ifs ands or buts about it.

Something had clicked in that moment, another piece of the puzzle falling into place. Both Duo and Shinigami had known in that instant that the boy was theirs and there had been little that anyone could say to countermand it.

Not Vlastimil of the Preventers nor the Prague Federal Family Courts or even the King Regent of Sanq himself. Zechs had just taken one look at Duo's set and determined expression and had just sighed, accepting things much quicker than any of the other parties involved except Heero.

In fact, Heero had also admitted about his own, almost instinctual need to keep the pair of teens close. They'd hardly had to discuss it, both on the same page with just looks and emotions sent along their own bond, accepting it as a naturally born imperative and acting accordingly.

Another peal of laughter had him chuckling as the younger guide squirmed away from the tickling hands of his sentinel. Michelle or MJ as she liked to be called, was growling softly but her grinning face undercut any kind of malice or anger. She had her long fingers at Peitr's sides, cackling as she straddled him to the ground.

Her hair was wild around her shoulders, her olive skin flushed pink as she laughed more freely than he'd ever seen her. In fact, it was the first time he'd seen her this relaxed and without the inherent wariness that she usually carried around her like a cloak.

It made him happy to see them both so relaxed. It made him hopeful that they would be able to completely heal after the pain they'd experienced at the hands of their captors. Duo quickly squashed down a surge of anger, taking a few deep breaths as Wufei had taught him to carefully let the negative emotion disperse.

This was a time for happiness, for peace. Not for whipping up the frothing rage he'd felt after delving into the gruesome details recovered from the secret lab. Damn both Catalonia and Zazca to the deepest pits of hell for their awful and cold blooded deeds. Damn Romerfeller for laying the cruel foundation of it all in the first place.

In the stressful few days it had taken for them to debrief most of the hostages. There had little time to talk with Heero helping the cyber team with the last of the modified Zero Code and Duo seeing to the after care of the hostages too damaged to be released.

It had been a gruesome task. Several of the prisoners had been so mistreated and medically tortured for so long that their minds had withered to mush, leaving them drooling catatonic husks as they screamed in their heads. Being the strongest Guide amongst them all, Duo had taken on the unfortunate task of checking each one mentally.

It had been heart-breaking work and only having both Heero and Peitr at his side, keeping him fed, bolstering his shields and pouring him into bed at the end of the day; had carried him through it. Both Zechs and Wufei had been stricken at the news, quick to offer sanctuary for those suffering and lifelong care at a special medical facility.

Une had readily agreed and soon enough they had been boarding the shuttle back to Sanq with a team of doctors and the rest of the refugees who'd agreed to come with them. The others who chosen to return to their old lives had been assured that the offer for sanctuary would remain open and had been given several ways that they could make contact.

Thankfully, the Preventers were there to take up the Lion's share of the work, with Lenka and her team in charge of cracking the rest of Catalonia's files and Vlastimil handling the logistics of getting everyone organized returned to their grateful families.

Things had gone smoothly. Well mostly.

Still, Duo couldn't bring himself to feel ashamed about the God awful ruckus he'd threatened to pull to get both Pietr and MJ under their immediate protection. Not with Heero steady at his side every step of the way and Zechs backing him up with the full weight of his crown and royal title. Not with Shinigami bristling with dark furore at even the mere notion that Pietr and MJ could be kept away, even for a night.

Luckily, everything had worked out in the end and they had been back in Sanq as soon as things had settled down. Duo was glad to be back home, all too eager to leave all the drama to Une and her Preventers. If he were a younger man, a restless soldier fresh from the war, he probably would have delved into aftermath himself; burning curiosity not letting him walk away until he knew everything that could be learned.

Thankfully though, he was older, wiser; and frankly had more important things to do than wade through Catalonia's mess. The woman was dead, her plans foiled; her secrets broken open. He, on the other hand, was alive and a partner he loved, a tribe he adored and a life to live fully.

Someone sat next to him on the bench, a sturdy presence against his side. Heero slung an arm across the back of the bench and Duo pressed into his warmth. The Japanese man returned his smile with a small one of his own, accepting the cup filled with his favourite tea and taking a sip.

Heero hummed with appreciation, the rumble vibrating through his partner as they sat close. He shook his head at the offer of pastry, wanting nothing more than to sit in the bright sunlight with his lover near.

Heero smelled like clean linen and the shampoo he always used and Duo relaxed into the feel of that firm chest at his back. He felt a soft tug at his hair and looked down to see his lover's fingers playing with the end of his braid.

"I guess training is done for the day huh?" he spoke softly, watching the teens who'd stopped their rough housing and now lay panting on the grass. "At least they got in a full hour of meditation today."

"Hn, their concentration is improving." Heero grunted, his nose nuzzling in Duo's hair. "Wufei will be pleased."

The brunette hummed around another mouthful of coffee.

"Their bond is strong and healthy. I was afraid that their trauma would affect it like it has some of the others but I think they shielded each other from the worst of it."

"They are strong. Survivors. " The Japanese man rumbled against the crown of Duo's head. "They'll make it just like we did."

Duo grinned, "Is that paternal pride I'm hearing in your voice, Yuy? Should I be calling you Papa Bear from now on?"

"Hn. Only if I can call you Mama Bear. Chang already calls you Mother Hen."

The braided pilot made a face at that. "Yeah. I'm gonna have to short his bed for that the next time I get a chance. Zechs will just have to live with being collateral damage."

"Considering how you growled everyone in submission about our custody back in Prague, I'm partial to Mama Bear myself." Peitr giggled and plopped unto the bench, passing one of the cups to MJ before tearing into the white paper bag. "Though you barely look older than us. That's not even fair."

Duo barked a laugh. "That's just good genes and a lifetime's worth of shitty experiences. You'll understand when you're no longer a fetus."

MJ only nodded around a mouthful of pastry while the young man howled inarticulately, chewing her croissant carefully before speaking.

"Barely remember my mother. Dad was never around. Never had much of parental guidance over all actually. And I'm pretty caught up on shit life experience. Always had to look after myself."

Her piercing eyes were clear as she looked at the two pilots shrewdly. She then shrugged and bumped her shoulder against Peitr's. "… but I think that I can get used to this tribe thing. Peitr says you guys feel good. Safe."

She narrowed her eyes at a grinning Duo. "I'm not calling you Mama Bear though."

"That's fine. It'll be implied." The pilot laughed loudly at her facial expression. "And baby boy here can say it loud enough for the both of you."

Peitre whined as he dodged Duo's hand ruffling his hair. "You're so mean. Am not a baby."

Heero just huffed and reached over to ruffle the boy's wild curls as well. "Akachan." [baby]

Both Duo and MJ laughed as the boy flushed a pleased red.

\----------------------

Zechs let his shoulders relax as the last of the governors were shown out of the room, his broad shoulders slumping subtly against his chair. He dared not slouch too much as there were still several aides and clerks milling around, tidying up the mountainous paperwork the four hour meeting had produced.

There were always eyes on him, as the new king his position among the government as well as the people of Sanq as a whole was still a precarious one. They were all still reeling from Relena's sudden abdication and the changing of the status quo. Zechs, along with Wufei had swept into the vacuum left behind, bringing with them a changing of 'how things were done traditionally.'

Many interests within and without the small nation's borders were keeping a keen eye on the palace, waiting to see how things eventually panned out. That meant being on his toes with parliament, the commercial industry as well as the gentry with their simpering smiles, their back handed comments and casual lies.

It was times like this when he wished that Relena was still queen. She was always so much better at slogging through the morae of politics; dealing with the minutia of it all without losing her grace and poise. Zechs had always been the one to prefer direct words and deeds, even as he'd worn a mask on his face to conceal his own identity.

Still, there was no use mourning the past. His sister was gone and he was the only Peacecraft left to take the reins. He'd both loved and hated Sanq in his youth, his childhood home the source of so much joy and pain. As a grown man, he'd come to see the kingdom in a new light. A beautiful yet scarred city with its beautiful and scarred people, all trying their best to make a good life for themselves and for each other.

It wasn't a perfect, shining monument to yesteryear or a romantic and rose coloured utopia. No, it was a place like any other, trying to heal from the ravage of time and too many wars. As regent he'd come to see the truth of it all, had come to realize that Sanq was a survivor just as Zechs was a survivor and he 'd fallen in love with the kingdom, his kingdom for all its faults, once more.

His only hope was that Ilora would grow to love this place and these people as much as he did, and would work hard as Queen when her time came.

He bit back a sigh and frowned at his empty coffee mug, absently waving away the aide who offered to replenish the drink. He'd had too much anyway. Anymore and he wouldn't get a good night's rest.

He glanced at his watch, wondering if he would have time to visit with his daughter before his next meeting, when a presence near his side made him pause and look up. He gave a small pleased smile.

"Ah… Shakur, Beck. Thank you for meeting with me. Please have a seat." Zechs waved to the table, signalling one of the aides to bring in some tea and watching keenly as the room quickly cleared.

Riad Shakur and Paulsen Beck nodded sharply and took two nearby seats. "We were told that you wanted to see us, your Majesty?"

"Please, this is just an informal discussion. Call me Zechs. " Zechs nodded in return, studying the two soldiers.

Shakur bowed his head in acquiescence but said nothing, a small smirk on his handsome face as the tray was set on the table and tea served.

He was the darker of the two, with dark olive skin and a trimmed close head and beard. He looked much better than he did when Zechs had first met him. Most of his wounds had healed well, only a few thin white scars remaining on his neck and arms. He'd gained weight and colour, though he was still favouring his left leg which had been broken in three places.

The sentinel aspect in him had been like a prowling beast, his anger and pain from whatever classified mission they'd been on for so long had lingered on his psyche like a miasma. He's been snappish and belligerent with the palace and medic staff at first, barely able to keep the trauma he'd experienced inside.

Only Wufei had been able to reach him in the end, facing off against the fury eating the young man from within. It had taken a knock down, all out spar in one of the private gyms for all the rage and hurt to come out, ending with Shakur slumped in Wufei's arms; sobbing and breathless for his Alpha.

Zechs had felt the bond between the two men snap into place in that instant, a full body shudder forcing him to brace himself against the wall at the intensity of it. Of course, the man hadn't been instantly cured but it had opened the gates for healing through counselling and therapy.

The bitter, angry man they'd met had disappeared, leaving behind a whip smart and snarky asshole who had a dry sense of humour and charming smile. Having been desensitized to that kind of attitude from Duo, Zechs had found himself being more entertained than irritated, finally admitting to himself that he genuinely liked the man.

Paulsen Beck on the other hand was a mix between nordic viking and ivy league college student. He'd come from money, old money, as some of the habits and traits still bled through. Despite it all, he was a down to earth person who smiled and laughed easily. Built like a brick shit house, he stood a head taller than his sentinel, almost as tall as Zechs himself, with similar blond hair cropped short and sharp blue eyes.

He was a gentle giant, falling instantly in love with Ilora when he'd first met her and had been wrapped around her finger since then. His guide aspect was strong and steady, having already formed a deep and abiding bond with his sentinel during the hell that was the undercover mission they'd been on.

Beck grounded Shakur in ways that fascinated both Zechs and Wufei, the men having deftly navigated the strange situation they'd found themselves in without any outside guidance at all. The unwavering flow of emotions between the two soldiers was a thing to behold during their shared meditation and Zechs had been awed when they'd agreed to open themselves up to the Alpha pair in such a way.

That was another thing. Being the Alpha pair held new revelations every day for both Zechs and Wufei. Even though Duo and Heero had slotted into place so easily within the tribe, it had still been uncanny how the two men and, afterwards, the two teens brought from Prague had become tribe. There had just been a snap of the bonds hooking into his chest right under his heart, a shuddered breath later felt like they'd been there all along.

Without a word of protest they referred to Wufei and Zechs as the alpha pair, deferring to them in matters of the tribe. Even the survivors from the Chalet had been deferential when they visited, though none had shown interest in forming more formal and developed tribal bonds.

Most of them were just trying to rebuild a life and weren't interested in further developing the powers that had been the cause of their capture and torture. Zechs had grieved for them, giving each an offer for changing their minds at some future date.

The clinking of teacups brought him back to the men before him. "Yes, I wanted to talk about options. I've been informed by Une that she's offered you your former positions at the Preventer. In fact, she threatened to string me up if I tried to poach you for Palace guard."

"She told us as much, Sir… I mean Zechs." Shakur hummed around this teacup. Beck huffed a laugh. "Twice. She is a very determined Lady."

Zechs chuckled. "That she is. Still, she can't make you do anything and neither can I so I'm just going to lay it all out straight. "

He set his teacup aside and gave the men an open look. "You're tribe. You will be tribe until they day you chose to walk away. Nothing will change that. Not your jobs. Not even distance. You can chose to leave the Preventers or stay. You can chose to stay at the palace or go. You can be folded into the Heero's team or Dup growing network. You can leave both behind and open a bakery. Whatever you chose, please know that you will always have a place with us."

He let them chew on his words in silence, enjoying the hot beverage in his hands. Beck was the first to speak.

"I joined the Preventer to do good. I still want to do that. The Preventers will help me do that on a much larger scale than I think working at the palace would."

Shakur reached over and took his hand, the pair sharing a speaking look. He finally turned towards Zechs with a small smile. "Preventers. Though we'd prefer to stay at the Sanq headquarters. And we'd have to find our own house. I love the palace but I don't think I'd be comfortable living here full time." 

"Understood. Excellent. We can iron out the details with Une later" Zechs smiled and stood. The men did the same. "I'm glad we could get this all settled. We would still want you here often though, and not only because Ilora will miss you something fierce. "

Shakur laughed. "I know that we are not getting from Wufei's meditations session and training so easily."

Beck slung his arm around his sentinel's shoulders with a familiar ease, his grin wide. "Besides, the food here is incredible. And have you seen the giant pool? Don't worry, we're gonna over here all the time. You'll get sick of us soon enough."

'No we won't.' Zechs thought to himself as shook his head at their antics, smiling as they parted ways once more.

He was still in a bouyed mood when his aide appeared at his side with a briefing on the meeting he had scheduled for the next fifteen minutes. Just enough time to freshen up and read up on the relevant details but sadly, not enough time to check in with his daughter.

He allowed himself a small sigh and frowned. He'd have to make sure to break off work earlier than usual and see if both she and Wufei wanted to visit the private garden before supper.

He was sure that he could light a fire under the developer he was meeting with. The man was had already tried to pass the same project through for approval three times, each time tweaked to look different on the outside while it remained constant at the core.

He pulled out his phone and sent a text to both Wufei and to the kitchens, telling them to prepare a picnic basket. They could even have a nice quiet meal out there, and if they were lucky, they would see fireflies.

He smiled at the thought, his heart warming as he imagined the glowing lights floating around them as he held both his husband and his daughter close.

As he walked towards the meeting room he got a text back from Wufei and grinned. This was going to be the shortest meeting ever. A record maybe. He deserved his family time, dammit, and he was going to take it; even if he had to carve it out of his duty filled life with a beam sabre.

He may have been the Regent of Sanq but he was also a gundam pilot and gundam pilots knew how to get shit done. The door to the conference opened and the developer greeted him with that fake, simpering smile, an all too familiar scale model on the table behind him.

Zechs smiled like a shark in return.

Yes, they'd be setting the record today for sure.

************************

Casting 

Riad Shakur | Paulsen Beck


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALRIGHT!!! hot smexxy times for our boys. 
> 
> Warning: Anal Sex. Over-stimulation. Discussion of past underage sex between stupid, uninformed teens and some trauma attached to that. 
> 
> The chapter is just Porn Without Plot so if you're not into that you can just skip the whole thing completely.

Heero nuzzled along Duo's sweaty collarbone, smirking with satisfaction as the braided pilot panted with sated exhaustion. Duo's legs were still wrapped around his waist, keeping him firmly in place and buried deep within his lover. Heero wasn't in any hurry to move anyway, his body still trembling from the intense pleasure they'd both just shared.

He pressed a line of open mouthed kisses down Duo's chest, feeling the heady thump of his lover's hearts against his kiss swollen lips. Gentle hands stole into his hair, scratching dull fingertips against his skull in a way that always drove him crazy.

He moaned Duo's name, his hips bucking at the sensation; driving him deeper into his lover and making them both gasp out. Duo whined and squirmed, already over stimulated from their passionate lovemaking from both the night before and that morning. Still, the legs around Heero's waist pulled him closer, deeper; and Heero grunted as he felt himself twitch and start to throb once more within heat that trembled and clamped around him. 

"Heero… fuck. God, you're so fucking deep." The braided pilot rasped hoarsely, one of his hands reaching down to scratch at Heero's broad back, his head turned to press into the pillow as his trembling walls clamped desperately around the hard length buried in him to the root. "I need you. Heero … I… please. "

"Duo… Saiai [Beloved]" he licked a hot line up his lover's neck and sucked at the spot behind that perfect shell ear that never failed to make Duo's eyes roll in his head. "I've got you. I'll always give you what you need."

He rolled his hips, slowly, maddeningly slowly, almost tortuously slowly; grinding mercilessly against his lover's ass, treasuring every gasped plea and yelp that escaped from his lover's kiss swollen lips. Duo keened and tossed his head from side to side, shuddering helplessly as Heero worked his thick cock against his inner walls.

Time seemed to blur and slow like molasses, heavy and heady as the sound of heavy breathing and helpless moans filled the empty space of his mind. He could feel Heero above him, feel his weight and his warmth, feel the heart racing in his chest, feel the sweet pressure of a hot thick cock filling every space inside him so completely. He could feel the calloused hands, capable of so much destruction, caressing him so gently, soothing him as he shook and bucked; that deep, often taciturn voice whispering soothing words against the shell of his ear.

He started to sob, it was just too much. He already felt overwhelmed, his whole body strumming with pleasure. His toes curled, his heels locked in place against Heero's ass as his lover rocked him so slowly, so gently. His own cock, slick and trapped between their bodies ached, angry and red at being neglected, but when he tried to reach down, Heero quickly caught his hands and pinned them above his head.

Whining and struggling weakly against the hold, he finally slumped in defeat as Heero bit gently down on his neck. He squealed when his lover rolled his hips deeply, pressing heavily against sensitive prostate, working the blunt head of that thick cock against the spot steadily until stars appeared in Duo's vision and he wailed, long and loud.

He tried to speak, tried to beg, tried to call his lover's name but all that he could do was gasp and ride the ever growing pleasure building in his belly. His breath seemed caught in his chest, his nipples swollen and over sensitive from Heero's previous attention; had hardened almost painfully, sending shocks through his system every time they brushed against his lover's chest.

His skin flushed red, burning hot and sweaty against the sheets and his hair was plastered to his face and neck. He whimpered as gentle fingertips brushed them aside and a palm cupped his heated cheek.

"Duo, baby look at me." Heero coaxed, pressing a kiss against the tear tracks that disappeared into Duo's hairline. "Baby look at me please. I want to see you."

Duo struggled to obey, his eyelids feeling so heavy, but he eventually got them open. Heero's face swam above him, his smile oh so tender that it made Duo's heart twist in his chest. His sentinel. His love. The other half of his soul.

"Hee… chan." he managed, his eyes rolling wildly in his head as his lover snapped his hips forward. "Fuuuu… *k"

"Come for me." his lover commanded and Duo was helpless to do anything but obey. His entire body stiffened, his back arching almost painfully as his walls clasped down on the throbbing less inside him. He screamed, shudders wracking his frame as his cock spilled messily between them; his vision going white as his orgasm crashed into him like a tsunami, bowling him over and pulling him under. Shinigami roared within the depths of his mind, its huge leathery wings unfurled to the fullest as it quaked along with him.

He felt a heat pooling inside him, his lover's throbbing cock pumping hot seed into him as he also came, the larger man curling his body over Duo protectively as he rode his own ecstasy. Duo felt cracked open, vulnerable and exposed as his guide aspect pressed against Heero's sentinel, who in turn, closed his shields around them both, keeping Duo close and protecting them both from the outside world.

He trembled at the feeling of being so loved and treasured, of fitting together so completely with another that it felt like they were one whole and complete being. His body felt like jelly, his exhausted limbs falling limply to the bed as he concentrated on trying to drawn a steady breath. He couldn't stop quivering, his body beyond his control as it rode the aftershocks of such an intense orgasm. He moaned as Heero's length slipped from him, the man giving a punched out grunt as pulled out with a gush of cum.

Duo whined at the empty feeling, his abused and inflamed hole fluttering as another gush of warm cum leaked out. He barely remembered anything else afterwards, his mind drifting as tender hands cleaned him and laid him down on cool, fresh sheets. He was rolled unto his stomach, letting out a grunt as he snuggled his cheek into the pillow.

A folded towel was placed under his hips and groin, both to cushion the area and to provide a catch for the cum still leaking from him. A calloused hand ran down his back, making him hum in utter contentment. The last thing he felt was a soft kiss to his temple and a whisper of love and he smiled into the pillow as he drifted off to sleep.

\--------------------------------

"Holy fuck." Paulsen Beck panted as he lay on the tatami mat of the small dojo. "What the hell was that?"

He felt dazed, his cock hard in his pants as he tried to catch his breath. His skin tingled and his bare toes curled against the floor, his heart thundering in his chest. He looked over to his sentinel to see Riad in a similar position, skin flushed and eyes glazed over.

A low chuckle made him glance up to where Wufei sat in his usual meditation position, his only sign of his own discomfort was a sheen of sweat over his dark skin.

"That was a moment of perfect resonance between a powerful Sentinel and Guide pair and we were luckily taken along for the ride."

Shakur grunted as he sat up, the heel of his palm pressed against his own raging hard on. "That was Maxwell and Yuy? Holy shit. How powerful are they?"

Wufei tilted his head. "While it's true that they are both very skilled and strong in their own rights, their true strength comes from how in tuned they are to each other. Duo and Heero have been through so much together, they’ve built such a strong connection that it's become ingrained in their very selves. It's fascinating, actually."

Beck gave a laugh and exhaled deeply. "That's good for them and all but how does that explain this?" he indicated to his own erection. "I feel hard enough to hammer nails."

"Emphatic bleed." Shakur guessed, his breathing steady and deep. Wufei nodded sagely.

"A very intense one. Duo can be very emotive when he really gets going. It's never been this strong though." the Asian man smirked. "Training is done for the day. You'll want to spend some time together riding this out. The aftermath can be very … profound, and it's better to enjoy it while it lasts."

Both men nodded, turning to the door as it opened. Zechs was in his shirtsleeves and some slacks, his hair loose around his shoulders and his pale skin flushed pink.

"I checked on MJ and Peitr, they're a bit giddy but ok. Thank god Ilora is over at Une's place."

Beck glanced from one man to the other then shared a look with his sentinel. Shakur nodded and quickly made his way towards the door. It was time to follow Wufei's advice and make the most of a good thing.

As the door shut behind him, Zechs pulled the shirt off over his head and kicked his shoes off. The pants were soon flung away and his underwear and socks soon followed. Wufei hissed as he rid himself of his own clothes, barely taking his eyes off the expanse of gorgeous skin being revealed before him.

"Zhàngfū. [Husband]" he groaned as the blond lowered himself to straddle his lover, Wufei's hands stealing up Zechs' back and pulling him in for a deep, filthy kiss.

"Bǎozàng. [Treasure]" the blond murmured against his lips, working his hips so that his ass ground against Wufei's leaking hardness. "I want you."

Strong hands caressed his back until they cupped his ass cheeks, pulling them apart gently so that the hot shaft could rub its blunt tip against his quivering hole.

"We don't have any oil, my love. I don't want to hurt you."

Zechs kissed his husband sweetly, running his hands through those dark wild curls. "I know you'd never hurt me."

They both moaned as the blond reached for his discarded pants and fumbled through the pockets, pulling a small pot from the rumpled cloth with a triumphant cry. Wufei grinned as the blond presented him with the oil, holding up his hands so that Zechs could pour some unto his fingers. Rubbing his hands together, he warmed up the oil before reaching for his lover, pulling him close and slipping one hand between those firm cheeks to the quivering pucker there.

Zechs hugged Wufei's shoulders, pressing his lips to his husband's neck as nimble fingers breached him. He clenched down on them, giving a soft cry as they pressed deeper. It took a while for him to relax and press back unto the intrusion but Wufei was patient, taking his time to open his lover up for his cock.

Zechs had always been sensitive there, never having allowed himself to be fucked down there since an awful incident at boarding school. He'd been young and they'd both been stupid and seeing blood in his stool afterward had left him traumatized for a long time.

Even Treize had never known all the facts of the incident, though Zechs had loved him and would have given himself to the man if Trieze had shown any kind of interest in that way towards him. It hadn't been until Wufei that the blond had thought about trying once more.

Wufei, of course, had understood and taken his time in easing the blond back into that kind of lovemaking, making sure that his husband had been comfortable at every step before even thinking of going further.

By the time Wufei deemed him stretched loose enough to go further, Zechs was relaxed completely against him; his hips rocking gently against the pressure in his ass. He hitched a breath when the fingers withdrew but didn't tense, even when the blunt head of his lover's cock teased at his entrance.

Wufei tested the ring of muscle pushing just a bit deeper with each try until the engorged mushroom head slipped passed with a slick pop. Both men groaned at being joined so intimately. Wufei then held still, his hands steady at this lover's waist, his hips frozen in place. It was up to Zechs to set the pace, to impale himself on his lover's thick shaft however fast or slow he pleased.

The blond had always been impressed and deeply touched by his lover's patience and endurance, holding in his own desire and need to thrust up into that welcoming heat. Yet, every time, without fail, unless requested otherwise by Zechs himself, the Asian man held himself still and let the blond take the lead.

Rolling his hips, Zechs worked his way down unto the throbbing shaft, clasping his hands around Wufei's clenched jaw and kissing him until he was fully seated. He trembled at being filled so completely, letting out a deep moan as he clamped down hard.

Wufei let out a low curse, his fingers digging into Zechs' hips as his thighs trembled. Merciful Gods, he wanted nothing more than to trust up into that delicious heat but he'd sworn both to himself and his precious and treasured guide that he would let Zechs set the pace in this always. He was lucky enough to have this in the first place, he would do nothing to jeopardize it. Finally, after a delicious eternity of holding his guide close and pressing kisses to his mouth, jaw and neck; Zechs moaned his name.

"I'm ready. Please Wufei. Fuck me."

Wufei gave a shaky nod, cupping the blond's ass and making slow, shallow thrusts. Zechs' breath caught in his chest, letting out soft little gasps and moans as his husband started delving deeper. They rocked together, sharing breath and kisses as the desire built and built between them, setting them both aflame.

Zechs found himself breathing his husband's name over and over, hugging Wufei's shoulders, bending his head down to taste the salty skin there. Wufei grunted, hot and wet against his neck as he snapped his hips, keeping the blond firmly in place as he fucked him deep.

He slipped a hand between them, fisting Zechs' own weeping cock and adding a twist of the wrist that never failed to trip the blond over into ecstasy. Zechs cried out, back arching as he came hard, his hold on Wufei's shoulders tightening almost painfully as he shuddered through his orgasm. His hips bucked wildly as his thighs clenched and his toes curled, his whole body feeling like a strummed guitar.

"Oh god…" he gasped, his eyes rolling in his head. "God. Wufei."

He pressed a desperate kiss to his husband's panting mouth, his tongue delving deep as Wufei moaned, his hips working as he sought his own release. Pressing in deep one last time, Wufei came, spurting hot seed into Zechs' clasping channel as he held unto the blond for dear life.

They stayed there, locked together, as they rode through the aftershocks, trading soft and tender kisses and words of endearment. Zechs blushed at the snippets of Chinese poetry that Wufei murmured against his ear, his cheeks and neck going pink as he hid his face in his husband's hair.

Wufei caressed Zechs' broad back, soothing away the tremors that wracks his frame; and ran gentle fingers through the blond's sweat darkened hair.

"Sentinel." Zechs whispered, nuzzling Wufei temple as he pressed up against his man. Wufei turned and pressed a kiss to his lips, his brown eyes warm and full of love.

"Guide." his voice was full of such adoration and awe that Zechs felt the sting of tears at the backs of his eyes. He felt the warm comfort of Wufei's shield enveloping him and he sunk into the embrace with a long sigh. This was where he belonged. What he'd been searching for since he'd lost his home so long ago.

Wufei was home. More than Sanq could ever be. More than Treize and Oz have ever been. Wufei was his heart, his home, his life. Along with Ilora, the other pilots and the tribe they were slowly building, Zechs had finally come home.

"I love you." he pressed a kiss along his husband's pulse point, taking comfort in the steady beat under his lips. "Forever and always, I love you."

"Wǒ yě ài nǐ, wǒ de xīn [I love you too, my heart]" Wufei whispered in his ear as those strong arms pulled him even closer, their hearts beating together as one. "Yǒngyuǎn de yǒngyuǎn [Forever and always]"


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plot starts to move once again.

Duo's phone buzzed in his pocket just as he was wrapping up his weekly meeting with Ilora's team. It had taken him a lot of time and effort to get the Princess' protection team back to what it was before the kidnapping.

Long term, close quarters exposure to the nerve gas Catalonia had used had affected the health of several members of the team detrimentally and they'd had thus been regulated to desk jobs indefinitely . Sanq medicos were still looking into treatment for the nerve damage but things like that took time.

Still, those veteran members had gone through Duo's rigorous and expert training as well as gained his trust so he'd just shifted them over to his fledgling spy network. Ilora's new team went through even more rigorous training, especially the small, tightknit group of women who were in charge of her personal care. 

Though Emma's loss still burned in his gut like a brand, the new au pair Charlotte, or Charlie as she liked to be called; was a spunky, whip smart, reliable young woman whose easy, honest nature made her hit it off with the princess from day one.

Duo pulled the phone from his pocket and glanced at the message. It was from Heero. He frowned at the cryptic text and quickly dismissed the meeting, gathering up his things and proceeding to Heero's office within the palace.

His frown deepened as he met Zechs and Wufei waiting there too. He opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it again when Heero raised his hand and shook his head. The Japanese man flipped a switch under his desk, engaging the locks as well as activating the white noise generator and signal jammer.

Duo perched on the edge of his lover's desk and winced a bit at the distant ping the signal jammer always seemed to carry. Oddly, neither sentinel seemed as uncomfortable with it as he was so he just ignored it.

"So, what's with all the secrecy?" He looked from one man to the other. "Is there a new problem or has one of the old problems made a spectacular come back?"

"A little bit of both, I would say." Zechs sighed deeply, his broad shoulders slumping. "I will let Heero explain."

Wufei reached over and squeezed the back of his husband's neck, massaging away some of the tension the regent seemed to carrying more and more of. Zechs moaned softly and relaxed into the massage, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

Duo gave him a quick look over, concerned for his friend. He exchanged a look with Wufei over the blond's shoulder and both nodded, they would have to arrange more time for the blond to relax, he was getting much too stressed with the petty back biting that seemed to be happening more and more as people started trying to test their limits with the new ruler.

Pushing the matter aside for later, the braided pilot turned to his lover. Heero was scowling at his computer screen, his fingers flying over the keyboard. 

"Hee-chan. Talk to me?" Duo asked softly, trying to push down the concern at what had his friends to solemn. His partner looked up and swivelled his monitor so that the rest of them could see.

"Lenka's team have made progress on the rest of Catalonia's files. They've sent the Agnus Dei stuff to Une but they've discovered something that even Une doesn't know what to do with."

He touched the screen, expanding some picture files. A familiar name popped out as Duo quickly scanned the documents. 

"Winner?" he leaned in closer, trying to make sense of what he was reading. "What the ever loving fuck?"

Zechs shook his head in disgust "Seems like old man Winner was part of Agnus Dei and was using their research to obtain himself a male heir. Even with fourteen wives and twenty nine daughters, he wasn't satisfied until he got himself a son to carry his name. even at the cost of his youngest wife's life. There was a thirty two percent chance that she would survive the procedure."

"Man, that’s fucked up." Duo made a face, looking up at the others. "I always thought Q-ball's dad was a real cool guy. Even with that test tube baby business Quatre told us about. Fuck. Using his wife as a petri dish like that. He seemed so noble and shit."

Wufei nodded, "Agreed. I too looked up to Zayeed Winner as a noble and righteous man. L4 and L5 enjoyed a long standing alliance with the man and his father before him. It disappoints me to learn of his involvement in this dastardly enterprise."

"So much for reliable male role models." Duo muttered bitterly as he shook his head. Heero snorted in response, having heard the soft words.

"Every man has his faults, if you look deep enough." his eyes went distant for a moment as he recited "Those pagod things of sabre sway, with fronts of brass and feet of clay."

"You've read Byron?" Zechs blinked, surprised. 

Heero chuckled mirthlessly, "No. just something I heard once… a long time ago." 

Duo reached out and took his hand, threading their fingers together. He got a flash of a man sitting across a fire place, his grisly and scarred face sporting a grim little smile. He looked like a mercenary and Duo recognised him from the late night talks he and his partner shared in the privacy of their rooms. Odin Lowe, the man who may or may not have been Heero's father and who'd taken care of him before his hellish time with Doctor Jay.

Heero gave his guide a small smile and squeezed his hand, sending his love and gratitude over the bond. Duo nodded and sat back, taking a look at the information once more.

"So what's the plan? I mean, Big Daddy Winner is dead. Quatre's a vegetable and Sayida had got the rest of the family under control. What is there for us to do?"

He pursed his lips, "Do we give them this info thinking it could maybe help with Kitty Quat's situation? What if they already have it? It's not like we can just call them up and ask if their late father was part of a murderous secret society hell bent on ruling a world full of genetically engineered Homo Superior."

Zechs barked a laugh. "Yes, let's not do that thing. That would not be good." 

Wufei hummed, tapping his finger to his lips as he thought deeply. "Still, there may be some merit to the whole 'calling them up' idea."

The blond turned to his husband with a brow raised. "What are you thinking, Zhàngfū. [Husband]?"

"I'm thinking that there is one of us who Sayida Winner would not mind talking to, even if we don't bring up the Agnus Dei connection. Someone who can feel her out about the whole thing."

Duo tilted his head in confusion. "Who the hell would that be, Wu-bear?"

Wufei made a face at the old nickname before he took on a mischievous expression. "Why the sidiyq aleayilat althamin [treasured ally of the family], of course." 

There was a few moments of confused silence before Heero finally grunted. "He means you, baka!"

Duo chuckled sheepishly. "Oh, oh yeah. I totally forgot. Geez"

He pulled out his phone and scrolled down to the contact the Winner sister had given him after her last visit.

"Should I call her now?"

They all looked to Wufei who shrugged, "No time like the present."

The braided pilot nodded and Heero switched off the signal jammer. The phone rang once, twice, three times before it picked up. 

"Hello, Duo…" Sayida Winner sounded strained and both Wufei and Heero frowned along with Duo at the tone. "And what causes the famous pilot of Deathscythe to call this humble number at this time?"

"Ah, Sayida, Hello…" Duo was non plussed at the lack of small talk and other phone etiquette. Sayida Winner had not come across as the type to be this abrupt in normal conversation and it threw him. He glanced at the others before speaking once more.

"You see, I wanted to speak with you about some information I've come across that deals with a sensitive subject within you family and I wanted to know if I could visit you in L4 to talk about it in person…"

"So you know then?" The woman on the other end gave a heavy sigh. "I'd thought to keep it within the family but it seems that I was mistaken."

"Well…" Duo's eye went wide, his mind racing. Heero gave him the 'roll with it' hand signal and he nodded. "Secrets like this often have a way of coming to light, whether we like it or not. Maybe if you tell me what you I think I know, we can fill in the gaps for each other." 

Sayida hummed. "If you've spoken to Catherine then you know most of what we do. We haven't been able to trace his movements beyond the shuttle to L4 and it alarms me that someone could just vanish like that within the Colony itself."

Duo's mind raced. The only Caterhine he knew had been the one to take in Barton during the war. Rumour had it that man had turned up there after leaving his failed marriage and fortune behind. Heero's fingers flew across his keyboard, having made the same connection as his partner.

"I see." Duo hedged, glancing at Heero's computer screen which was now showing Catherine Bloom's bio info. "She did seem very upset when I spoke to her last but she was so busy with the circus, she didn't have time to give us much information. When did she call you about Trowa going missing? Maybe we could build a timeline."

Sayida seemed hesitant to agree so Duo quickly tried another route. "I know that Trowa is important to you. He Quatre's husband and your brother in law. He's important to us as well. He's a pilot. He's our brother at arms. He fought at our side during some hellish times and we want to find him and make sure he's safe as much as you do."

He paused for dramatic effect. "He's Aleayila [Family]"

"Yes… " Sayida let out a thready sigh. "I will send you what little we know via secure data transmission. Maybe you can see into the places I cannot." 

"Thank you, I'll look out for it." Duo said solemnly "We'll be in touch." 

A long, heavy silence lingered after he hung up and he stared at the phone in his hand. It couldn't be a coincidence that Barton had disappeared just as the Winner connection to Agnus Dei emerged. 

Duo's mind ran on the former Heavyarms pilot. Trowa had never been one to talk, only opening up to Quatre and Heero really. They'd even been on opposite sides at various points during the conflict but, in the end, Duo had respect for him.

Meeting with him that day at WEI, Barton had felt so miserable and cold and Duo hadn't really been surprised to hear that he'd left his life and his marriage behind after learning of what Quatre had become.

He'd wished the man a happy, peaceful life and it seemed a shame that he'd somehow been dragged back into something nefarious once more. He hoped that they would eventually find the man unharmed and would be able to return him to his quiet life; Barton deserved that much.

He broke from his deep musings as Heero growled. "Well, this sure is a clusterfuck."

Duo barked a harsh laugh at the words. "Damn straight. Things just keep happening one after the other. "

"Indeed, I'd hoped to get at least another week of rest before things picked back up again." Zechs hummed, crossing his arms as he thought deeply. "There was something she wasn't telling us though. Something else going on what she almost spoke of. I could feel the struggle in her words, even over the phone."

Wufei nodded, "Her heart beat quickened when you spoke about Quatre and Family. Maybe something has changed in his condition? We still don't know what Ephyon has done and still continues to do to his brain."

"There are too many unknowns. We need data." Heero grunted, already turning his screen back towards him and typing away. "We need proper mission intel."

"Agreed," Wufei replied. "We need to talk to Catherine Bloom, find out what she knows. Then head to L4 to track Barton's journey. They know the shuttle landed in L4 and he disappeared soon after that. That's something at least. "

He looked at Duo. "When you're there, feel Sayida out about the Agnus Dei connection but only if you think it will get you the results you need. Leave it for after if necessary. "

Duo nodded sharply then looked to his partner. "How long do you need before we can head to L3? I can call Howard and see if we can catch a ride with one of the Sweepers. Wouldn't want people tracking us through commercial flights."

"Hn. Give me a day."

Zechs exhaled sharply. "Sanq doesn’t have much of a relationship with L3 colony but I can reach out to Une to see if you can stay in a Preventers safehouse there. The same goes for L4. the Peacecraft/Winner relations took a hit after what happened to Quatre in the palace so I cannot guarantee any trustworthy assistance."

Wufei grunted. "Okay. Ask Une if the Preventers can let Shakur and Beck provide backup as well. They already have ties with us and it wouldn't be seen as strange if they travel with Maxwell and Yuy."

He looked at the men gathered around him. "I won't remind you to be careful out there. With each passing moment, some new and often startling revelation is placed before us. Look out for each other and stay sharp."

Heero looked up from his screen. "Yes. Alpha."

"Will do Alpha." Duo gave a sloppy salute, a grim smile on his face. "Watch after the kids for us while were gone, okay? Make sure they have fun and don't get too stressed."

Zechs gave a chuckle. "We will Duo, I promise."

Duo looked at his partner only to find Heero staring back at him. They shared a long look before Duo sighed and smiled. Heero nodded and gave a small smile in return.

"Ok then," Duo clapped his hands sharply. "T-Minus Twenty Four hours until Operation In the Arms of an Angel is a go. Let's get cracking people."

"In the arms of an angel?" Wufei shook his head. "Do I even want to know where you got that stupid name from?"

The L2 pilot shrugged and laughed, "Trowa was the pilot of Heavyarms right? He also flew the trapeze at the circus like an angel. Ergo, Arms of an Angel. Get it?"

Wufei rolled his eyes as Heero snorted loudly. "Baka."

Zechs just laughed.


	11. Chapter 11

Howard came through for them a day and a half later. In some kind of kismet, Duo's own former ship, the Redemption, was on earth getting refitted and the new owners agreed to give the four men bunk space to L3 in return for a few pallets of 'hard to get' dirt side commodities. Zechs had been all too happy to facilitate the supply from the many Sanq warehouses and soon enough they were breaking atmosphere.

Duo ran a hand along the hull, closing his eyes and listening to the engine. He'd missed the old girl. They'd spent many a silent night together, salvaging the outers rim of explored space. She'd seen him through a lot of ups and downs and he was glad that she was with people who appreciated and loved her as much as he did. 

The new owners were a family sweeper unit. Two women and their twelve year old son, lifelong spacers and real good people. They'd shared their small canteen area and modest meal with their passengers, laughing freely and trading stories as spacefaring folk were wont to do. 

Stories were stock and trade in space, a way to keep people connected and entertained in turns. There was only so much to keep a person occupied when facing days, even weeks in the deep cold black. Sweeper culture cultivated storytelling as a way to bond strangers with each other and keep people connected. 

Duo had spent many hours in his cockpit, talking and laughing over comms to people he'd known for years but never met face to face, recognizing them only by the shape of their crafts or the painted monikers on their hulls.

The Redemption's artwork was still bright and sharp along her side, the scrapes she'd gotten from a close call with some debris still raked though the top half. He'd paused for a moment on the tarmac, staring up at the ship with bittersweet nostalgia until Heero's comforting hand at his elbow had him moving once more.

Heero had understood, tucking an arm around Duo's shoulder and pulling him close as he breathed through his emotions. Duo's relationship with Deathscythe had been different, the gundam had been an extension of himself, a manifestation of his personality. A weapon of destruction and an avatar of death. 

It had killed him to see his gundam destroyed, but the sacrifice had been for peace and Duo had taken the time to mourn and let go of both the mobile suit and the part of himself that had been intertwined so closely with it. 

The Redemption on the other hand had been his solace, his protector, his lady. She'd given him a place to be when his life with Hilde had fallen apart. Held him close and kept him warm when he'd flung himself out into the cold embrace of hard vacuum to scrape out some kind of existence. She'd saved his life more than once and kept him company on the many lonely nights.

She was there when he needed her and he loved her for it. And though it had been hard to let her go, being with Heero was worth it ten times over. He was the happiest he'd ever been with his sentinel and it warmed his heart to know that his beautiful ship was giving someone else the same comfort and protection she'd graced him with for so many years.

They made it to L3 in good time, thanking their hosts and slipping out with the other port workers in the overalls Heero had sourced for them. Beck charmed his way into renting a small car and they made their way straight to the circus after some road side restaurant food. 

It was strange being back on colony. Both Heero and Shakur had to spend some time adjusting their senses while Beck and Duo meditated to level their guide aspect. With the artificial lights, the recycled air, the rolling horizon and the slow centrifugal turn of the world around a person, it took some getting used to it with all new extra senses.

Duo didn't know L3 too well so they let Heero take the lead, navigating the journey until they'd arrived at the new circus location. It didn't take them long to find Catherine, who was getting ready for the first performance of the night. 

While Shakur and Beck made themselves scarce lest the woman get spooked and refuse to talk, Duo and Heero were welcomed into the redhead's small trailer as she put the final touches unto her makeup.

"I thought of trying to call you but I didn't think you'd answer. Or care." She said bluntly as she applied eye liner, the lights around her mirror accentuating her pale, powdered face. Her eyes in the mirror were cold. "Trowa never spoke about keeping in touch and the last I heard was you were all living at the Peacecraft palace in Sanq. I didn't think my call would even be welcome."

She shrugged, the gold tassels on her fancy red jacket shifting at the movement. "Besides, I probably wouldn't have gotten past the receptionist any way. So I called Iria instead."

Fair enough. Duo nodded, there wasn't anything he could say to that and he figured that the woman wouldn't appreciate any platitudes. He exchanged a look with Heero who nodded and took over.

"I owe Trowa my life. He saved me during the war. Helped me when I was hurt and alone. I owed him for that. I figured if he wanted to be left in peace to try to rebuild his life after everything that happened, I would give him that."

He caught her eyes in the reflection. "He is, and always will be… my friend. Even if we haven't seen or spoken to each other in years. He's a gundam pilot and we gundam pilots stick together. Always."

Duo nodded in agreement, watching carefully how Catherine's chin quivered and her hands clenched white around her eye pencil. He could see that Heero's words were working but they weren't enough. Catherine didn't trust them and they didn't have the time to work on it if they wanted to get to L4 before the trail went completely cold. 

She'd hated them for taking Trowa away during the war, for curing his amnesia and making him remember his life, his duty. She'd loved Trowa as a little brother and had been angry that they hadn't left him alone to live the life she believed he deserved. If they could not appeal to her empathy then he'd have to hit her with the cold truth and startle her into compliance. They just didn't have the time. 

"We spoke to Sayida. They lost track of Trowa soon after he landed on L4. No one knows where he is or who exactly has him. We're headed to L4 after here to see if we can pick up the trail before it goes cold."

He levelled with her, a solemn look on his face as she turned sharply on her stool; her eyes wide and bright with dismay. He held her stare calmly, speaking before she could respond.

"We need your help. You are the only one who knows about what's been happening with Barton in the days and weeks before his disappearance. We may not have been there for you guys before but we're here now and we're going to find him and bring him home… if you help us."

The woman took a deep and shuddering breath, taking a napkin and dabbing the moisture from her eyes before it ruined her eyeliner. Her shoulders stiffened and her jaw clenched in determination. 

"Okay, what do you need to know?" 

Heero grunted, nodding to the braided pilot. "Tell Duo everything about the days leading up to his disappearance. I'm going to look for Trowa's stash."

The redhead's brow furrowed. "His stash? What stash?"

Duo stepped in. "If Barton knew he was walking into something ugly, he would have left information behind in case of a situation like this. Names, dates, phone recordings, things like that."

Heero nodded and headed deeper into the trailer without a by your leave, heading straight for Trowa's room first. As Catherine gave a surprisingly concise briefing of the systematic campaign of harassment and subtle blackmail predicated by Rabi'a Winner; Heero searched the Heavyarms' pilot's personal space. 

He carefully placed several scarves and worn t-shirts in plastic bags and tucked them into his coat pockets and scanned the room for hidden compartments. Soon enough Duo joined him, the redhead having left to start her show. The braided pilot was already pulling on his gloves, glancing around the room to see if anything jumped out at him.

As Heero moved to the small bathroom, Duo sat on the bed and placed his hand on the small pillow. A flash of Trowa dropping into bed, tired from a hard day's work. Waking up from nightmares, muffling his screams so that he didn't wake Cathy. Crying himself to sleep on nights when the memory of Quatre was too close, too painful.

Duo inhaled sharply, pulling his hand away and closing his eyes. Jesus. He breathed out slowly and reached for a pair of work gloves. Flashes of being high above the main stage, checking the rigging, chatting and laughing with the crew, sitting among dozens of coils of rope; checking each one for wear and tear.

A small notepad gave him his first flash of concern. Trowa upset and writing a note, his strokes deep with anger; tearing off a few pages instead of the one he needed. Duo frowned, the impressions on the paper were too light to do the shading trick. There was no way to recover what had been written. 

The bathroom revealed a shave kit with flashes of Trowa seated and smiling; soft, caring hands shaving him carefully as he leaned back against a smooth chest. The kit had been an anniversary gift and was onyx, beautifully inlaid with rare mother of pearl. Imbued with layers of love and happiness, it showed no signs of recent use so Duo carefully put it back into the drawer.

Nothing else gave any clues and Duo could feel Heero's frustration through the bond. They weren't getting anywhere. There was a soft meow at his feet and he looked down to see a scraggly tom cat winding around his ankles.

"Hey, buddy." he bent down to pet the cat with a smile. "I don't suppose you can help us crack this nut wide open eh?"

As he touched the soft grey fur, he got his strongest flash yet. "Shit " he muttered, pulling the animal to his chest gently and going to his knees. His eyes fell closed as Heero appeared at his side, one hand on Duo's back for warm comfort. 

Duo moaned, curling around the purring animal for a good ten seconds before he relaxed and let his arms loosen. The cat nimbly jumped out, nuzzling the back of Heero's outstretched hand before losing interest and walking off. 

The braided pilot gave a shaky breath and a curse before standing up and striding into the kitchen. As his Sentinel watched in silence, Duo hopped unto the small counter and pulled a piece of crown moulding away from the ceiling, revealing a small hole cut out from the gypsum. 

Inside was a waterproof bag with papers, money, several passports, data cards and a burner phone. He handed the package down to Heero before he set the moulding neatly back into place and jumped down.

The Japanese man frowned at the phone. "He didn't take it with him. Either it has important data he can't lose or he knew they would take if from him anyway." He looked up at Duo. "I need my laptop. We need to see what's on these."

His guide nodded. "It takes roughly four hours to get to L4 on a Preventer skiff. Une arranged for us to have access to it …" he glanced at his watch. "… in about two hours."

He looked up his sentinel, a solemn look on his usually cheerful face. "Heero. Whoever is behind this… they scared him. Trowa is a Gundam Pilot and he was fucking terrified. We need to be very careful walking into this."

There was a wary trepidation along the bond and Heero absently wondered what else Duo had seen while holding the cat. He would have to get it out of him on the flight when Duo had calmed and parsed through all the jumbled emotions. He looked down at were his hands were clenched around the thick plastic and frowned before looking back up at his guide. 

"Ninmu Ryoukai [Mission Acknowledged.]"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooh... that satisfaction you get when you can type 'ninmu ryoukai' in a gundam wing fic. so good.


	12. Chapter 12

The Preventer skiff was cute and nimble little thing that Duo extremely enjoyed piloting. Beck shared his enthusiasm and the co-pilot seat, leaving Shakur to assist Heero with going through the data Barton left in his hidey-hole.

Rabi'a Winner sounded like a real bitch and the data collected on both her and her sister Hasfah painted a grim picture. For Barton to have such damning information on both women and not use it against them when they came for him was disturbing.

Either Barton had a plan and didn't need the insurance or didn't believe it was enough to help with whatever hell he was walking into. Whatever the reason, it didn't look good for the former Heavyarms pilot.

So while Duo and Beck steered them towards L4, Heero and Shakur dug deep into the lives of Rabi'a and Hasfah Winner. By the time they docked and were taken to the Preventer Branch office, they'd compiled a neat report which Heero personally encrypted with the Ephyon Code and sent back to Lenka on earth to forward to Une.

The local Commander was extremely helpful, with his artificial cheer and courtesy; offering up the surveillance footage of the shuttle landing without even being asked. Unfortunately, the footage was grainy and from far away. The dock itself was Winner personal property and the Preventers didn't have access to those cameras. Making an official request to WEI would only raise suspicions and show their hand prematurely so they had to do without.

They decided to go to the safe house instead to regroup, get some food and rest, taking one of the unmarked stake out sedans from the car impound. It took the two sentinels all of ten minutes to find all of the listening devices in the small house and toss them into a bag in the freezer for the Preventers to recover after they were gone.

Une would be mad if they outright destroyed them, even if they shouldn't have been bugged in the first place. Seemed that even within the Preventers, someone was curious to know why they were here on L4. It figured. The Winners were a major influence in the colony and many people were either loyal or indebted to them.

As Beck and Shakur left to find dinner, Duo did a load of laundry in the ancient looking washer dryer while Heero wiped down the worn kitchen table and set up his system.

Usually, Duo didn't mind sleeping in strange beds. Most of them were clean enough for both his empathic sensibility and Heero's senses but the safe house all but dripped with the stink of sweat, fear and desperation and like hell if he was going to rest on sheets mired in old dread. They'd never any sleep.

The other two men soon returned with hearty, meat packed shwarma wraps, seasoned fries and fresh green salad along with iced tea and they all ate around the table, talking over what they had gathered so far.

Heero had managed to find a back door into the WEI camera network and had recovered clear footage of Barton's arrival. Seeing Rasid greet him was a surprise though, Duo had been certain that the old man had retired to earth to be with his huge extended family.

Unfortunately there was a gap in coverage just outside the docking bay and they lost the caravan in colony traffic. It would have taken too long to track all the streets leading away from the dock and it really didn't help in the long run as they already knew who arranged the whole thing.

They would start by tracking down Rabi'a and Hasfah Winner. The plan was to let the women lead them to where Trowa was being held. Unfortunately WEI and its subsidiaries owned most of L4 and the number of personal family residences was staggering.

Still, Heero had been able to wade his way into files upon files of colony records and city permits to find Rabi'a's residence. The same couldn't be said for Hasfah though, her property being one of the countless ones owned in name by the family as a whole.

Thankfully, Duo had already called and arranged to meet with both Sayida and Iria the next day. During that meeting, Beck and Shakur would scout out Rabia's house and place of work. Hopefully the two Elder Sisters could shed some light on what was really happening within the family.

\-------------------------------

The morning dawned bright and early with the colony six am 'rooster call'. At least that's what Duo called the annoying colony wide chime and gradual raising of the atmosphere lights that simulated sunshine. L2 used to play the sound of a cock crowing, something that grew pretty old, pretty fast to a lot of folk. Young Duo included.

He groaned at the brightening light pouring through the cheap curtains, pulling Heero's arm over tightly shut eyes and snuggling deeper into the man's chest.

"Fucking crack of dawn bullshit. Goddamn rooster can go fuck itself."

Heero's chest rumbled with a laugh, his arms pulling Duo closer and the braided pilot hummed in contentment. Heero smelled like fresh soap and was snuggly warm. The bed smelled just as good and thankfully the sheets carried nothing more than a few wisps of lingering emotions. Being with his sentinel blocked most of it out, for which Duo was very grateful.

They snoozed a bit more, giving themselves this small respite as the day was gearing up to be a long one. They could hear their housemates shuffling around the house and soon enough the smell of breakfast permeated the air.

"Coffee?" Duo mumbled into Heero's chest, cracking one eye open. "I smell coffee."

"That's one way to wake you up." His lover chuckled, easing himself out of bed, leaving Duo grasping at his white sleep vest.

"No Hee-chan. Don't leave me." He pouted adorably, "… unless you're going to get me some coffee, that is."

Heero grinned at the sight of his sleep soft and rumpled lover, bending over to press a kiss to the crown of his mussed hair. "I'll go get your coffee, my love. We have a big day ahead of us and I need my 02 happy and ready to greet the day."

"Hey, happy wife equals happy life you know" the braided pilot grouched, pulling the cover over his head and snuggling into the bed once more.

"Yes, Dear. Of course Dear." Heero gave a low laugh and left the room, deftly avoiding the boot Duo threw at his head.

The home of Sayida Winner was a modest one on the grand scale of Winner holdings yet one could tell that it was a seat of power in its understated presence alone, much like the woman herself.

She greeted them cordially, inviting them to share strong tea and some meat and veggie fateyer tartlets. Her manners were perfect, though a bit more reserved than usual. Duo understood perfectly, the situation was one that had gone beyond her control. To have Barton tracked down and all but blackmailed into coming to L4 by Winner interests only to disappear without a trace right under her nose had to burn something awful.

Iria, on the other hand, was much warmer in her welcome. Her smile was as bright as it was when they'd first known her. She reminded Duo so much of Quatre, with her bright eyes, blonde hair and heart shaped face; that it made Duo's heart twist to see her. God, he missed his friend.

They made the necessary small talk, all dancing around the subject that was at the forefront of all their minds. Finally it was Iria who broke the ice, her frustration showing plainly on her beautiful face.

"We're not sure how it even happened. We haven't been able to get a satisfactory answer from anyone.

Rabi'a has a lot of power within certain factions in the family and she is stone walling us."

"Shaqiqa! [Sister]." Sayida snapped, startled at the younger woman's blunt honesty. "Restrain yourself."

"I'm sorry Shaykh Muhtaram [Honoured Elder], but I cannot." The blonde shook her head, Trowa is missing. Rabia cannot be reached and Quatre…"

She buried her head in her trembling hands. Both Duo and Heero sat forward in concern. The braided pilot reached over and placed a comforting hand on her forearm, his voice soft with consolation.

"What happened to Quatre?"

He kept a straight face while images flashed before his eyes, a cold and sterile hallway; beeping and whooshing machines and a small, frail form in a large medical bed. Pale skin and clammy hands being clasped as a loving sister prayed for a miracle.

Alarm when the same bed was found empty one morning, none of the caretakers having a clue what happened. Cold terror at the realization that her little brother could be anywhere, with anyone, vulnerable and alone.

The secret kept close, like a heavy stone on her heart. Not being able to tell anyone for fear of familial backlash. The fighting amongst the sisterhood was still ongoing, even after the head council had been voted in. The ever present dread that everything could collapse at once.

He breathed out slowly, naught but seconds passing in real time as he blinked to clear his vision. Heero's hand was a warm anchor on his thigh keeping him grounded. Sayida seemed to deflate, her face falling as she wrung her hands in her lap.

"Our brother has been missing for close to a year. We have searched everywhere for him but to no avail."

"A year?" Duo gaped stupidly for a moment before collecting himself.

Heero scowled. "Why didn't you approach us? Or Zechs? Or even Lady Une and the Preventers? We could have helped. Done something."

The older woman seemed to regain her steel backbone, her voice cold and unyielding. "It was an family matter. There had been no need to bring in outsiders. It is up to the family to deal with it."

Heero raised a skeptical brow. "And have you dealt with it?

The woman flushed, her scowl no echoing his. "You dare…"

Iria cut her off, shaking her head in agitation. "There are factions within the sisterhood who are not happy with Sayida and the others taking charge of the family."

"Iria!" Sayida snapped, half standing out of her chair. "Be silent girl!"

"I will not." the blonde replied firmly. "These are Quatre's and Trowa's friends. They are also Gundam Pilots. They can help us. They already know our secret. It is only because they are not in the family that they may be able to help us finally get to the bottom of this. Once and for all."

She turned towards the men seated before her. "We believe Rabi'a is amassing a powerful following and wants to remove Sayida as Family Head. The problem is that this is not just a simple squabble among siblings. The Winner fortune is vast and a destabilization of the family could spell devastation for a great many interests and people for whom we hold responsibility."

She heaved a troubled sigh. "We cannot openly move against Rabi'a. Her position is too strong right now. We don't have enough evidence of her wrong doings to sway those who support her back to our side. If we move too soon, we will lose the advantage of catching her off guard. If we wait too long, we may be too late in acting against her."

Duo exchanged a look with Heero, thinking of the info packet Trowa had left behind. Seemed that his little insurance plan would come in handy after all.

He gave both sisters a reassuring smile as Heero pulled out a small hard drive with the intel they'd put together so far. "I think that we may just be able to help you with that."


	13. Chapter 13

Duo swam back to consciousness as if he were fighting his way through molasses. Everything felt slow and weighted down, every part of him straining against sinking further into the suffocating black. His limbs felt heavy like lead and the slightest movement made every inch of him hurt. 

His breath caught in his chest, sharp pains streaking through his collar bone and across his chest. God, something was definitely broken. He panted through gritted teeth, trying to ride out the blazing agony that was in desperate battle with the overall extreme fatigue he felt all over. It took effort to even breathe, his entire chest feeling as if someone was sitting on it.

When the pain level receded to just below unbearable, he tried to open his eyes. They felt dry and crusted shut, his long lashes pulling as he tried to make his eyelids obey. The dry air stung his cornea and blinking felt like sandpaper. He whimpered, too weak to try to stifle the sound. Either the room was pitch black or he was blind. Neither option held any sort of comfort and he felt his panic build. 

He was trapped and alone. He was trapped and alone and in the dark. Or blind. Whichever. Fuck. A shudder wracked his frame and he cried out as it lit up pain receptors across his body. He gasped for breath, grasping for any of Wufei's meditation tips to help him calm the fuck down. 

His mouth tasted like blood, he must have bitten the inside of his cheek because the sting of it hurt just a little more than anything else on his face. His tongue felt heavy and fuzzy which was never a good combination and he smacked his dry mouth, trying to cultivate saliva. It didn't seem to be working and he could taste a faint trace of chemical on the back of his tongue.

Drugged. It figured. His body felt too heavy to have occurred naturally. It was still running its course it seemed because he couldn't move anything but his face. He tried to steady his breathing, taking slow, shallow breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth so as not to aggravate his ribs. 

It took him too damn long to do it, the pain stealing his calm every time he so much as twitched, but he finally managed to clear his head enough to fall into partial meditation. The effort of it left him thoroughly exhausted though. Whatever this drug was, it was fucking brutal.

After shoving his fear and panic in a dark corner, he tried to critically assess the situation in which he'd found himself. For one, he was in the dark about his circumstances, both literally and figuratively. He was also in pain, so much so that, if he could have moved his body at all, he would have curled up into a ball and wept. 

The pain didn't seemed to be injury based, being spread so evenly and insidiously throughout his body as it was. So it was mostly likely chemically based. And that meant that it would wear off after some time, hopefully. Unless what he was feeling was permanent nerve damage or someone came and re-dosed him. 

Duo firmly and carefully shoved those negative thoughts into a dark corner as well, he really didn't need that shit right at that moment. He was alone, as far as he knew, and lay on some kind of plastic covered hard mattress. He'd been in enough examination rooms to recognise how the adjustable bed felt.

There was central air flowing, he could feel the draft on his clammy skin, but he wasn’t' cold. He also wasn't naked, Thank Kami for that. He had on pants and his button down shirt. His jacket, belt and shoes had been removed, mostly likely with all his weaponry and tools. That sucked donkey balls. He was also restrained. He could feel the thick leather belts that confirmed his medical bed theory. That also sucked.

Satisfied that he'd confirmed his physical condition, he turned inward, feeling for his bond with his sentinel. A few confused seconds passed before his breath caught in his chest and he choked. 

His bond to Heero, he couldn't find it. He couldn't feel it. That strong, thrumming golden connection to his sentinel that had snapped into place that first night at the place…. It was gone.

Duo felt the panic surging wildly within him as he scrambled around for the comforting gold, growing increasingly desperate as he couldn't find a single connection to his partner. He could hear Shinigami howling distantly in the far recesses of his mind, the horrible wailing growing louder as time ticked by. 

It was only when his throat started burning that he realized that the agonized wailing was coming from his own mouth. That he was the one screaming as if he was being brutally murdered. He choked on saliva, coughing harshly and triggering pain flare ups along every inch of his lean frame.

The last thing he remembered was pain streaking across his chest like a brand before he gratefully surrendered once more to the cold sweet darkness of oblivion. 

The next time he woke up he felt like an old rag that had been wrung out one too many times. His body felt wrecked, trembling in the wake of the agony that had plagued him before. Thankfully, the pain had receded to a tolerable level, leaving him able to weakly twitch his fingers and wiggle his toes. Still, the overwhelming lethargy kept him glued to the bed, along with the restraints that were still also there.

Firmly and resolutely pushing down the sheer hysteria at not feeling any bond to his sentinel and the whimpering growls of a mourning Shinigami at the back of his head, he forced himself to focus on the situation at hand. His eyes had again crusted over and it took effort to reopen them, breathing a sobbing sigh of relief when he finally did. 

The room was lit, albeit dimly, and he could see the outlines of hulking medical equipment as well as a pair of large double doors along one bare wall. He could see, he wasn't blind. Thank God and all the heavens for that.

He quickly assessed the room, taking in the opaque plastic dust covers over most of the equipment, the blinking red light of the camera in the corner, the soft hum of the central air. He tried to listen for sound beyond the doors but they were too thick and too far away to get hear anything.

He tested his restraints weakly, trying to see if there was any wiggle room for him to work with. It wouldn't be the first time he'd dislocated his thumb to get out of custody. Unfortunately, whoever had fastened him to the bed had done an exceptional job of it, he could not budge an inch. 

He evened out his breathing again, this time trying to think back to the moments that led to him waking up in this awful place. He remembered leaving Sayida's residence with Heero; just having given the Winner sisters all of the evidence they'd compiled against Rabi'a and Hasfah. 

The sisters had both been grateful though Sayida had been more reserved in her gratitude. Duo had understood. She was still smarting from not only having outsiders provide the smoking gun that would bring about the public downfall of her most feared enemy withing the family; but that her younger sister had been so out spoken and headstrong in defying her in front of those same outsiders. 

Family pride was always a prickly subject, no matter how big or small the group, how well known or obscure. For the Winners it was an extremely sensitive subject with long reaching ramifications. 

They'd taken their leave, hopping into their Preventer issued sedan, intending to check in with Shakur and Beck who'd been keeping watch of Rabi'a's residence call morning. The woman wasn’t home, Shakur had confirmed that much, but they'd had the idea to try to track Trowa's scent from the clothes Heero had collected from his trailer back on L3. 

While the other pair had a scarf to mark the scent from, Heero and Duo had a well-worn vest to try at Hasfah's place. Luckily for them, Iria had been all too willing to pinpoint the exact property in which the younger Winner daughter had set up house.

They had just checked in with both Shakur and had emailed Wufei an update when it happened. Duo winced at the memory of pain but easily pushed it aside so that the memory didn't get clouded over. He needed his mind as clear as possible.

They had been at an intersection, waiting for the light and discussing lunch plans. Heero had been chuckling at something Duo had said, one hand on the wheel and the other holding his partner's across the seats. Duo had been smiling, teasing his lover about some foolish thing or the other when Heero had inhaled sharply, his hand tightening painfully as he stared in horror at something over Duo's shoulder.

There was a split second of quiet as his lover gasped out his name before Duo's world became noise and heat and glass and pain. He remembered screaming, his world flipping over as the world broke apart around him. Shards of glass flashed in the sunlight, looking for a moment like diamonds cascading upon him. 

He remembered bringing up his hand to cover his face, feeling the sting of lacerations along his arm and side. He heard Heero screaming for him as they both tumbled and jolted against the seatbelts strapped across their chests.

He remembered the high pitched scream of metal grinding against asphalt, the smell of burning plastic and the echoing howl of car horns. His vision had been tinged red, a head wound bleeding across his face as he hung awkwardly from his upturned seat. The tip of his braid lay across the roof of the car, inches away from Heero's still and blood spattered hand.

His sentinel had been lying facing away from him, all too still amidst the still rocking car. Duo had tried to call for him, gasping out his name hoarsely as tears came to his eyes. The other man was alive but unconscious, the bond between them still throbbing gold. 

There's been movement just outside his crushed door and he just about to breathe a sigh of relief when a sharp pinch on his arm made him look over. He had just enough time to recognize the glimmer of the needle compressing into his arm when the world twisted away in a blaze of fire and pain.

Jesus. Whatever it was had sure worked fast. He hadn't even had time to tense his arm or even gasp out in denial. These guys sure weren’t playing any games. He twisted his mouth into a frown, staring up at the blank ceiling. They really hadn't expected anyone to try for them that quickly. They'd thought they'd had at least one more day to get their ducks in a row. 

They'd sorely underestimated the women they were up against and were all the more fools for it. He hissed a breath through his teeth. They thought that they had been so careful, kept under the radar. Had hidden themselves well enough away to escape notice. 

For Rabi'a to know about them, about their movements, meant that she had been fed the information by someone on the inside. Fuck. It had to be the local Preventer Commander. The man had oozed insincerity since the moment Duo had first met him. 

So overly courteous and eager to please, Duo had pegged him for a Winner toady but he'd been mistaken on who was actually pulling the man's strings. He'd assumed that it had been Sayida and as the saying went, he'd made an ass out of himself for that stupid oversight.

He tried not to beat himself too much about it. It was a mistake. It happened. He had more important things to worry about. Like Heero…

He allowed himself a moment to give in to the grief. Their bond had been in place for long enough for him to forget what it was like to live without it. He'd gotten so accustomed to being in commune with his sentinel, having him tucked close to his heart and tucked under Shinigami's wing that the absence of the steady warmth and safety left him feeling starkly bereft.

He sobbed brokenly, turning his head to muffle the noise in his shoulder as his body shook. He panted through his nose, riding out the pain in his fractured bones until he could get himself back under control.

Heero was alive. He had to believe that. Either the man had been captured along with him and was being held here as well or he had been left behind and been retrieved by Shakur and Beck. His mind conjured a vision of his growly sentinel, covered in shallow cuts from shattered glass and pissed as hell; his blue eyes flinty with barely suppressed rage. 

He was coming for him, Duo was sure. And if not… if he was also strapped to a bed somewhere in this place? Then Duo would fight both heaven and hell to get him free. That's what partners did for each other. 

Duo hiccupped softly, tucking away the heart-breaking sorrow for later. This wasn't the time for such distractions. He had to find a way out of here. He tested the thick leather bands one more time, wincing at the faded flashes of other people held down by them long ago. Thankfully, the belts were old enough that they didn't still hold strong emotions anymore. They were still enough to secure him tightly though, with little to no wiggle room.

Duo eyed his braid, the thick plait resting next to his hand so innocuously. He wondered if they had searched that too while they'd stripped him of all his other weapons. Hopefully they'd over looked it and the tools he'd secured within were still there.

He'd just about started to try for one of them when the large metal doors clanked open, their rusted hinges screaming and groaning. Duo quickly stilled, closing his eyes and letting his head sag as if still asleep. He evened out his breath as the footsteps echoed closer, waiting patiently for an opportunity to strike.

The person stopped just short of arm's length away and stood silently for a long moment or two before finally speaking.

"Good Afternoon, Master Duo." 

Duo's snapped open and he stared calmly at the man towering above him. He then gave him an easy smile. 

"Hello, Rasid. Long-time no see." 

"Indeed…" the old man smiled serenely in return. "It is so good to see you after so many years."


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Duo gets some whump in this one. Warning for language once again because Rabi'a Winner is still not a nice person. Threats of Sexual Assault and Torture.

Under the watchful eye of six Maguanac guards, their rifles aimed steadily at Duo's head and torso, Rasid transferred him from the bed to a large hospital wheel chair. It was rusted and the large wheels squeaked, the clunky thing wobbling slightly even when still. The thick straps were just as old, heavy, worn soft and cracked along the edges from years of use. Thank god they didn't have any vivid emotions tied to them either because they were buckled firm and tight around his bare wrists.

Rasid's hands were gentle as he tested the restraints and Duo took the opportunity to really look at the man. He was still as huge as he'd been during the wars, old age failing to shrink him down as it usually did to others.

His face held new wrinkles and the laugh lines around his eyes had deepened. His mouth was relaxed, almost smiling. There was no tension or anger pooling in his serene eyes or clenching around his square jaw.

Duo had long respected the man for his quiet strength and honorable ways. The time he'd spent with quatre and the Maguanacs during the war was some of his happiest in memory and their gentle giant of a leader still remained one of the few positive male role models Duo still had.

"I figured we'd find you at Quatre's side." Duo said softly so that only the other man heard him. "I always appreciated your loyalty that way. Helped me have faith in people again."

The older man paused and looked up, a smile spreading across his face. "Thank you Master Duo, I am truly happy that this humble man could have helped you in such a way."

"I just wanted you to know that ..." Duo's smile was genuine and bittersweet. "No matter how things shake out, I'm just glad that Quatre still has you."

Rasid held his gaze for a long time before bowing deeply. "I am truly honoured, Master Duo. I am also glad that you and Master Heero eventually found happiness in each other."

Duo's gaze sharpened as he gazed into that steady brown gaze, carefully ignoring the fact that Rasid must have known of Heero's captivity, even if he hadn't had a personal hand in it. For all his faults, the man was loyal to his master without question.

Still, Duo had made his home in the grey area of moral ambiguity a long time ago and he would never begrudge others for it. He eventually gave the man a wry grin and nodded his thanks, accepting the Rasid's words at face value.

The older man then gave a sigh and stood, placing a warm hand on Dupo's uninjured shoulder. "It is time to go now, Young Master."

Duo fell silent as the chair was pushed through several empty corridors, eventually coming to a freight elevator. He could hear colony mechanics as they ascended, thinking that they must have been close to the large curved outer hull. It was so easy to forget that the colonies were just huge metal cans hanging in space from the way the houses and streets looked above.

Proving his point, the doors opened up into a brightly lit marble corridor that led out into a stunning, vibrant garden. The air was warm and fragrant, the blooms colourful and artfully placed. Artificial sun shone through the trees, dappling across the verdant grass, creating an idyllic effect that made him wish fiercely for home.

The woman of the hour herself was sitting at a beautiful white table laden with a full sterling silver tea set that gleamed in the light. Colourful cakes and other patisserie were carefully laid around it, perfect little pops of colour and sweet sugary scent.

Rabi'a cut a severe and seductive figure against the riot of colour in her chic, deep red wine coloured pants suit and tasteful jewellery; her dark glistening hair flowing in waves over her shoulders and down her back, not a single strand out of place. Her full lips were painted blood red stood out against her perfect creamy skin, one corner turned up in a sinister little smile.

Her beautiful kohl lined eyes were cold and calculating as she stared at him, the caustic loathing she had for him so strong that just being near her made his breath hitch. Oh she hated his fucking guts, goddamn. He took a slow breath and winced as his collar bone twinged.

She smiled at that, enjoying his pain as she glanced down at his chest before catching his eyes once more.

"I must say, I was pretty upset when I was not allowed to be part of the delegation to visit Sanq …" she began blithely, her voice deceptively light and uncaring as she sipped her hot tea; her sharp, blood red nails glinting against the delicate teacup. "… I really wanted to be there to see your face when I ripped apart that pack of lies you ended up selling to my Honoured Sister. Too bad I was out voted by the sacred sisterhood."

She flipped her hair and rolled her eyes. "Such a pity that she chose to go herself and ordered me to stay. The old girl has always been a sucker for a sob story. Gullible bitch. But then again… " She cut a shrewd look at him from the sides of her eyes. "You've always have been the God of Lies haven't you, Duo Maxwell, the Great Destroyer and Pilot 02 of Gundam Deathscythe."

Duo let out a chuckle, raising an impressed brow.

"You seem to know a lot about me even though we haven't had the pleasure of being introduced. You're not the only one who did their research, twentieth daughter Rabi'a Fizhah El-Mofty nee Winner, but I guess the EL-Mofty part doesn't even matter huh? Not against the mighty Winner name."

He smirked at her scowl, leaning in with a charming little grin as if to share a secret. "And it's the God of Death, Rabi-chan, not the God of Lies. Surely Quatre would have told you that I never tell a lie."

"You are a spawn of the devil. A Child of Shaitaan himself. Arrogant and Prideful as the Chief Deceiver himself." she snarled, her teacup coming down unto the saucer with sharp snap that would have surely broken a ceramic cup. "A filthy abomination who raped my precious brother's mind and left him a diminished shell of his former glory. A hollowed out husk of a man who, by rights, should have been a titan in this world filled with pitiful, grovelling worms."

"Get over yourself lady. Jesus." Duo rolled his eyes. "And you may not want to throw stones with that rape thing, not after what kitty Quat and princess pink tried to do to my Heero for years. Fucking years. And your precious little habibi's mind? He shredded that to swiss cheese himself the day he let Dorothy fucking Catalonia shove shards of fucking Ephyon in his brain pan. Frankly, he asked for what he got.

"Dirty little gutter snipe. Filthy mongrel. Disgusting, vile afterbirth!" her face hardened with wrathful rage, "If I had my way I would have had you spread before me, your chest cracked open and your flesh peeled away. I would have taken a hammer to your bones and a cleaver to your joints. Then, as you screamed for the release of death, I would have had you violated brutally in front of your screaming lover."

Her voice was insidious, low and creeping across his psyche, battering his shields and clawing at his mind. Terrified, Duo quickly retreated into Shinigami, letting those leather wings enclose around him as he clenched his fists tight enough to draw blood.

Sweet Mary Mother, she was strong. Echoes of her voice reverberated through his skull, slicing at his mental barriers. His face felt cold, he was sure that the blood had drained from his face as he shrunk back in the chair. He shuddered, forcing his eyes up to meet her smug gaze.

Words seemed stuck in his throat and for a second, he needed Heero so badly he almost started crying. But he was a gundam pilot and a kick ass Guide and he wasn't about to let this bitch get the better of him.

He gave her a wide grin which tasted like iron, a quick tongue slipping out to lick the blood from the corner of his lips. "It's a good thing then that you're not the one calling the shots then. I mean… as I'm not currently not strung up somewhere in your torture basement slash sex room. Too bad, now I'm totally curious about all the kinky shit you do to get your rocks off down there."

He knew that he was playing with fire but fuck if he didn't enjoy getting under her skin. He needed her off balance to give Heero and the others enough time to come get him.

"You… You… vicious little hellkite." her face went pale and then flushed deep red, her eyes spitting fire and she shot up from her chair, knocking the table and toppling the chair behind her. "I am going to…"

::Now, now Dearest Sister, Duo just loves to tease. Be at peace. It is such a fine afternoon.::

The mechanical sounding voice stopped everyone in their tracks, revealing the whir of a small motor and the crunch of gravel underfoot. Duo couldn't turn his head too far because of his broken collar bone so kept his face turned forward, his heart rate ramping up as the sound drew closer.

He swallowed around the knot in his throat. He had a pretty good idea who was coming up the garden path behind him. There was only one person that Rasid was so loyal too. One person who could make a psycho Rabi'a back down like a hissing snake charmed back into its basket. Only one person who would reach all the way to earth for Trowa Barton.

"Hey, Quatre" Duo quipped with a grin as the large motorized wicker backed chair pulled up to the table next to him. "Good to see you up and about old buddy."

He turned to look at the man sitting next to him and froze in place, his breath catching in his chest as his grin went brittle. Holy Mother of God.

Quatre looked….

His blond hair was combed neatly, his usually cheerful face slack from disuse.

Quatre looked….

His bespoke suit and fitted gloves fell a bit loose on his thin frame, expertly hiding the weight loss to someone who hadn't known him.

Quatre looked….

His sky blue eyes were bright and piercing, in stunning contrast to the gleaming and sinister looking silver implants that ran along his temples.

Quatre looked…. Like death warmed over.

And he felt….

Good God above.

He felt like an emotional black hole.

Duo held himself still, like prey caught in the sight of a predator. He was sure that his panic could be seen plainly on his face but at that moment, he couldn't give a fuck. He was too busy looking at a thing that couldn't… that shouldn't exist in the natural world.

And that was what his friend was… a thing. A thing in the shape of a human. Duo trembled in the face of it. The gaping empathic maw that hung open before him, ravenous and terrifying. He couldn't look away, wondering absently how Rabi'a with her own, somewhat warped empathic ability, could stand to be this near to what her little brother had become.

The little mechanical voice was talking and he had quiet his gibbering mind in order to pay attention. He couldn't lose his shit now, for fuck's sake.

He wouldn't even remember the small talk afterward, but since quatre's eyes kept smiling for him and Rasid hadn't wrung his neck or anything then he must have muddled his way through well enough.

God, his missed Heero so fucking much. He needed his sentinel. Shinigami's wings tightened around him, blocking most of the sheer terror out. He thanked it sincerely and forced his mind to pay attention.

The sound of a child's laugh jolted him back to the present and looked up only to choke on spit once more. He swallowed it down painfully and blinked in sheer surprise.

"Hey Trowa…" he greeted casually, as if his mind wasn't flailing around in his skull. "Hey cute blonde kid in Trowa's arms."

The tall pilot's face was as impassive as ever, dressed in perfectly tailored slacks and shirtsleeves; and looking the same way he did back when they'd met at the WEI offices. Just as cold and cornered as Duo remembered.

The child held securely in his arms was adorable with wispy blonde hair that curled around his ears, ruddy red chubby cheeks and bright blue eyes like his daddy. White milk teeth gleamed as he laughed, tugging on Trowa's shirt as the man took a seat between his husband and his sister in law.

Duo felt sorry for the man. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

"This is our son." Trowa was talking. "Neehan Barton Winner."

"Ah…Mazeltov." Duo nodded, glancing between the two men and the child they obviously shared, "And the mother?"

Quatre's mechanical laugh made Duo's blood crawl.

::Dear Duo, you should know by now from my own unique beginning that one doesn't need a mother to bring a child into this world… to create new life, perfectly balanced between Trowa and myself.::

"Yeah?" Duo shrugged nonchalantly, "I think that Quaterine Winner would have begged to differ on that whole giving birth thing."

Rabi'a snarled, slamming her hand against the table "Shut your blasphemous mouth you filthy low breed cur before I rip out your insolent tongue and feed it to you."

Quatre's eyes went flinty cold for a second before brightening once more. Trowa sat frozen at his side, Nehaan tucked securely against him and whimpering.

:: Come now, sister. Duo is our guest. Let us be courteous and hospitable. Besides, there is a more important reason for his visit. Let us not forget our glorious goals.::

Rabi'a calmed visibly, but it looked hard won; her dark eyes burning with hate. She smirked coldly and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Of course Habibi. There will be time enough."

Duo cursed inwardly at the smug look on her face, wary of what exactly there would be time enough for. Whatever they had planned would definitely not bode well for one Duo Maxwell. He decoded to throw a wrench in the works and see how it played out. He had to stall for time.

"So… about this Agnus Dei business…." he asked glibly, "I'm thinking either you jumped on board with Dorothy's 'build a better tomorrow today' spiel or you have something else in mind. I mean, big Daddy Winner sure as hell believed in propagation of the species."

He quirked a sly grin. "I'm guessing your bouncing bionic baby boy is a result of decades of work and planning."

Rabi'a bristled but stayed silent, her eye burning holes in the side of Duo's head. He could hear the steam coming from her ears and he was morbidly amused. Quatre's hum sounded like static as he narrowed his eyes at the braided pilot.

::Very clever my friend. I didn't realized that you had dug that deep. Dorothy was very closed mouthed about it for the longest time. I had to learn about it all from my father's memoirs. Even then it took me years to uncover the whole truth. Bravo. ::

Duo's grin was fox like. "You know us Gundam pilots. We're a tenacious bunch."

There came that creepy mechanical laugh once again.

::Indeed we are.::

Trowa stood, a drowsy Nehaan snuggled against him. "I'm going to put his down for a nap. I'm sure that you have much to discuss."

He bent down to let the boy press a clumsy kiss to the crown of his Quatre's head then handed him off to an awaiting nanny. He them bent down himself cupped Quatre's face gently, pressing a soft kiss to those unmoving lips before whispering something to the blond.

Quatre's eyes swam with emotion. His robot voice didn’t seem to have a whisper function though. ::'Ana 'ahabik 'aydaan [I love you too]::

The tall pilot straightened the stepped towards Duo, the blank look in his eyes all too familiar. He only had time to say "My ribs" before Trowa's fist was buried in his stomach.

Duo saw stars, his vision blurring as he choked on his breath. He groaned, his whole body shaking as he curled around the fisted hand. He tasted blood on his tongue, his breath coming out in sobs as he tried to swallow the burning bile that bubbled up his aching throat.

"Ah shiiiiiiit." he hissed, blinking rapidly as tears fell from his eyes and unto his socked feet. Trowa finally straightened up, shaking out his hand.

"That was for what you did to Quatre." he said, his face never losing its blankness. Then he was gone, leaving Duo still curled and gasping around the pain taking over his chest. Sweet merciful Christ on a fucking crutch. The fuck.

Rabi'a just laughed as he wheezed pitifully, Quatre's robot voice making his sigh sound like a channel switch change. Rasid's hands were gentle as he pulled Duo back upright and, pulling out a white handkerchief, wiped the blood from his mouth and chin. Duo gave him a brief but shaky nod in thanks as he tucked the kerchief into Duo's breast pocket and stepped back once more.

::Trowa has always been both slow to anger and slow to forgive. I love that about him. His patience and his forgiveness are both deep and enduring. Even for silly sentimental fools like you and I, Duo."

Duo looked the blond through his bangs and gave a shrug.

"Not that I don’t enjoy waxing poetic about the joys of true partnership but how about we get to the point of this all so that I can go home to my man."

Rabi'a snarled a curse under her breath but said nothing more, her hand forming a fist on the table. Quatre gave a scraping chuckle.

::Yes, let's.:: his blue eyes lit up with delight. ::Let us get straight to the heart of it. Then we can see about getting you back to your Heero.::


	15. Chapter 15

Duo stilled, even the robotic voice seemed to carry that 'bag of cats crazy' vibe the blond had been dripping with that day back at the palace. This was Zero Crazy Quatre and he scared Duo something awful. Shinigami ruffled it's wings, growling low in Duo's mind, wary and alert.

Rabi'a shook her head in disgust. "I don’t know why we are even deigning to explain anything to this illiterate street rat. It's not like he would even comprehend the magnitude of it all anyway. Let's just get it done and be over with it."

::Patience, Dearest.:: the blonde hummed in static. ::We must show our gratitude for the gift that Duo is about to bestow upon us. We owe him an explanation for that at least. And don't underestimate my friend, he was gundam pilot as well and is very clever."

Quatre's speech was slowing, most likely getting tired if the concerned looks both his sister and Rasid were giving him were any indication.

"As you wish Habibi." The brunette huffed and examined her nails. Her gaze was still caustic as her eyes caught his and she sneered silently before she began her Epic Evil Monologue ™. Usually Duo couldn't stand these in movies or in real life but every minute she spent gabbing was one minute more Heero had to find him.

It all started with Big Daddy Winner. As they'd said before, it was easy to cultivate zealotry amongst the very rich and the very religious. The man was both and it wasn't long before he'd joined the ultra-Secret Society and had begun working within it to further his own goals.

Seemed that even from very young, he'd been obsessed with Legacy, the very blood that had given him line the gift of foresight was also the very thing that caused mental deterioration. So, with his capital and Romerfeller's science, he'd built himself a legacy by design.

Things hadn't been smooth sailing though. The only embryos that took to the treatment were female and many of them died in the first few weeks of development. There had also been a concerning risk of the children growing up still affected by the degradation, albeit a weaker version.

For years they and tried and perfected the procedure, the line of Winner daughters by various surrogates growing steadily as their father's obsessively tried for a son. It wasn't until young Quaterine Winner entered the picture that they finally found success.

She was another of Romerfeller's selective breeding outcomes and had a rare genetic mutation that reacted exceedingly well in testing phase. Sadly, she had a fragile constitution and had to be placed into a medical coma so as to ensure the success of the pregnancy.

Unfortunately, she did not survive but her DNA and that of her placenta had resulted in the science progressing in leaps and bounds. The Winner bloodline's gift of foresight had been honed and refined into Quatre's Heart of Space.

Running parallel with Doctor J's Sentinel enhancement work with the latest young boy he'd acquired, Daddy Winner's work in Guide development progressed steadily.

Then the war came and many who had been integral to the research had been killed or had fled, the death of Quatre's own father dealing massive blow. It hadn't been until Dorothy had approached the young Winner heir in the after math, in possession of new data to inject into the stalled science.

It had been a revelation discovering Doctor Jay's data on Heero and how it synched up so perfectly with Quatre's own development. To find out that there had been someone destined to be his equal, his partner in this life had been world changing.

Of course Relena had been useful in smoothing out any obstacles. Being the former Queen of the World came with many benefits that both Quatre and Dorothy coveted.

They'd come so far since then, having developed a drug that could supress empathy to save the sisters whose minds could not handle the gift. It had also proven handy in a case such as Duo's, whose power had ended up surprising them all. That was what was running through his veins, currently cutting him off from his Sentinel and his tribe.

But it wasn’t until Ephyon that they'd finally broken through the last barrier to Agnus Dei's ultimate goal. Blending mind and machine together seamlessly, transcending the need to be anchored to a single flesh construct.

:: You see Duo, Agnus Dei wasn't trying to build the perfect human…:: Quatre's robot voice was serene as the smile on Rabi'a's face. ::They were trying to build the perfect vessel.::

It took a few seconds for Duo's mind to push aside the horror and disgust he was feeling and let the words register.

"Nani [what]?" he asked flatly, looking at them both with hooded eyes. "for real… na… ni ?"

The looks on both their faces told him that they weren't joking in the slightest and he felt a bit light headed.

"Fucking body snatching? What the ever loving fuck? I mean Jesus, can you even hear yourselves?" He shook his head in sheer, near fucking hysterical disbelief. "Your fucking batshit. Both of you. God. Quat I can understand with Ephyon rattling around in his skull but you Rabi'a, I expected fucking better from you. Come the fuck on."

He had to snap his lips shut to keep from babbling and take a few deep breaths through his nose. This is no time to lose your fucking shit Maxwell, no matter how round the bend these people all seemed to be. He strained against the leather restraints, growling as they continued to keep him held fast.

He needed to move, to do something other than just sit there and listen to this total fucketry. He wanted to take Quatre by the shoulders, shake him and yell at him to wake the fuck up. That he wanted his friend back. That this crazy version of him was fucked up and scary and that his little Q-bean deserved fucking better than to be consumed in the dark of his mind by fucking Ephyon.

He felt the sting of tears in his eyes and closed them against the pain in his heart. He needed Heero. He wanted his sentinel. He felt so goddamn alone. He took a shaky breath, pushing down the emotions that threatened to drown him. He didn't have time to that. He needed to focus and get himself the fuck out of here.

::I'm sorry to feel that way Duo…:: The robot voice even sounded sympathetic. :: I wanted you to understand before we began. ::

"Yeah. I'm sorry too Q-ball." Duo sniffed, curling his lip. "Still don't know what I'm here for though. What does any of this have to do with me? Got any enlightenment on that?"

:We were finally able to perfect the genetic manipulation but haven't been able to successfully to control the accelerated growth. It happens in spurts at certain ages. Extreme rapid development. Neehan himself is just six months old even though he looks like three years.::

Rabi'a huffed sharply through clenched teeth. "The problem is that my brother's current body is failing and the child's brain isn't developed yet to become a host."

Duo felt sick to his stomach. "But he's your son."

::No Duo, He's my clone. My path to rebirth.:: Quatre sounded so serene about it. With his bright blue eyes and unmoving face. :: The perfect vessel to house my essence when he matures enough for his body to survive the transfer.::

All Duo could think was '… the fuck?'

::I felt your power that night at the castle. You resisted my efforts so easily, even with the boost from Ephyon. I just knew that you would be a perfect fit until Neehan is of age.::

::Think of the possibilities.:: Blue eyes danced with excitement. ::With the lovely Heero by my side, my partner in all things, I would go back to Sanq. With Zechs and Wufei dead in an unfortunate accident, I would take guardianship of Ilora until she is old enough to take the crown.::

Rabi'a's smile was a hungry maw. "And with Quatre ruling Sanq, I will take over the family here. From there, the World.

::Then, when Neehan's mind is mature enough to accept me, I will marry Ilora and become the ruler of Sanq outright. It is only then that we will be able to create the perfect world that I have foreseen. It's all so simple really.::

"That's…. That is…. " Duo just blinked at them both. "… the biggest crock of shit that I have ever fucking heard."

He shook his head at Rabi'a nonplussed expression. Even Quatre's bright eyes had dimmed somewhat. "That is some Bond Villain Level Bullshit right there. All you need is a fucking hairless cat. You would never get away with that shit in the real world."

The brunette's voice was harsh and cold. "You would be surprised at how much money and power can do. Think of Romerfeller."

"Yeah, and where are they now?" Duo rolled his eyes. "You can't possibly think that Heero would ever go along with this do you? Not to mention Zechs and Wufei being to goddamn smart to be brushed off so easily. We're Gundam Pilots and we're pretty tough."

::You forget, so am I.:: the robot voice sounded fucking smug. The asshole. ::And who says I don't already have someone at the palace, close enough that even the great Chang Wufei would not see us coming until too late. Gundam Pilots aren’t invincible you know. Look how easy we were able to take you."

"And keep you leashed like the mongrel you are." His sister sneered, looking down at Duo who only rolled his eyes and flipped her a double bird. "We have enough drugs to keep Yuy docile for the rest of his life. It's not like he would be any more but a plaything for my brother."

"You will not lay a finger on him!" Shinigami surged close to the surface at those words, sending Duo's blood boiling; his voice dropping to a low growl. "So help me God I will raze everything you fucking love to its very foundations."

::Such vitality. Such strength. I've chosen well.::

Duo continued to struggle futilely against the restraints as Rasid rolled him back into the house and down a series of corridors, Rabi'a pushing Quatre along behind them. 

He was just about going out of his mind at the thought of Heero going back to the state he was in when Duo first found him. The idea of Quatre having a hold on him like that… and wearing Duo's face while he did it, made him sick to his stomach. Shinigami howled in his mind, his fear and anger feeling its rage.

The only silver lining was that Shinigami's rage seemed to be burning the drug from his system much faster than the others probably realized. It was a trump card that he would have to keep close to his chest.

This new examination room was much cleaner and better will lit, the machines brand new and in proper working order. A bank of computers servers were set along one wall, stretching from floor to ceiling, their collective heat warming the cold of the room. It was an impressive get up and Dupo's sharp gaze noted it all.

There were twin gurney's, already set up with drips and oxygen. A woman he recognized as Hasfah Winner stood near one of the terminals, dressing in scrubs, her dark hair pulled into a tight ponytail. The lens of her glasses gleamed in the harsh lighting and the cool calculation in her eyes told him that she was not to be underestimated.

Duo's mind raced. He had to stall for time. His life and possibly Heero's life depended on it. He sized up the room and its occupants carefully.

"So you're just gonna body snatch me right now? Not even a last meal or anything. That's harsh buddy. And here I thought we were friends. How are you gonna do me like that?"

Rabi'a frowned at the braided pilot like he was an insect crushed under her designer shoe. "We are wasting time with this foolishness. You deserve nothing but oblivion. L2 trash."

"I want to see Heero, please." Duo ignored the woman, speaking to Quatre directly. His voice was soft and pleading, his eyes wide and earnest. "One last time as myself. You can allow me that at least, can't you?"

Quatre stared at him for long moments as his sisters bustled around the room.

::Of course Duo. Now now, dear sister, Duo is doing so much for us already. It is a small thing to grant this wish. A last request as it were."

"Thank you." Duo let his voice break, making himself small in the chair as Rabi'a stomped over to grab the handles.

She grumbled all the way down the corridor to another room. This one was a guest room, well-appointed and tastefully decorated. There was a large bed in the middle and on it lay Heero, one hand tied to the solid bead frame while the other was on some kind of drip

Duo's breath caught in his chest. His partner looked peaceful, the small cuts from the crash had been cleaned and bandaged in some cases. He once again tried to reach his sentinel through their bond and once again he felt nothing.

Shinigami yowled in despair.


	16. Chapter 16

"You’ve seen him, time to go." Rabi'a seemed to take great pleasure in slowly rolling him back out of the room.

"No!" Duo shouted, twisting in his seat to face her. His mind raced, he needed to get closer to Heero. He didn't bother to appeal to the woman's sympathy. She had no use for that. Plus, she hated him too much. Instead he would use the one chink he'd found in her armour.

"Quatre promised. We both know that he is a man of his word. Don't make him break his last promise to me. You don't want him stressed for what comes next do you?"

Her glare was scorching but she finally shoved him closer to the bed. He made a show of trying to reach his lover with his tied hands, hearing her chuckle as he broke down into desperate tears, curling over himself as he sobbed his lover's name.

He had to work fast. There was only one chance to do this right. It took a full minute for the brunette to get fed up of his caterwauling and she reached down to yank him up by the base of his braid.

But he was ready for her and came up with the momentum, his arm swinging up to catch her under the chin with the small thermal blade Trowa had planted next to his thigh when he'd punched him.

Duo had still been seeing stars when he'd felt a weight slip against his pants, the taller pilot whispering a few soft words into his ear before straightening up and walking away. Duo had wordlessly shifted his leg to conceal the small insulated tube and bided his time.

As he'd cried over his unconscious lover, he'd made quick work of the leather strap; knowing full well that if he didn't take the bitch out with one blow that he would be in deep shit.

The surprised look on her face was almost comical if it weren't for all the blood and the smell of burning flesh. He pulled the blade out with a squelch and a hiss, making a face as she slowly collapsed to the ground.

He quickly cut himself free of the chair and checked her pulse. Satisfied that she was well and truly dead, he rifled through her pockets and pulled out her phone. 

He dialled a number from memory, slipping the device into his pocket and heading for the bed. There was no time for conversation. He didn't even know where he was. He had to trust in Beck and Shakur to trace the call and locate him.

He nimbly slipped the needle out of Heero's arm, checking his pulse and breathing a sigh of relief that it was strong and steady.

"Come on Yuy. Up and at 'em. Talk about Déjà vu, huh?"

It concerned him that even though he was making direct skin contact with his lover, the bond between them was still silent. He shoved that horrifying thought aside. He would freak the fuck out about that shit later. Right now he had to get them both off this fucked up crazy train before Quatre caught wise.

The corridor was empty when he scoped it out so he slung Heero's arms across his shoulders and gritted his teeth against the pain.

"Fuck you're heavy Hee-chan." he hissed as they turned a corner and had to duck and roll as Hasfah slashed at him with a scalpel. Heero fell heavily unto the floor and Duo cursed as the thin, sharp blade slashed him across the arm.

The diminutive woman fast and silent as she darted in and out of his reach. After a few drawn out and heart stopping minutes, he was starting to feel a bit like shredded cheese. The woman was relentless, not even making a sound as she sarted in an out of his reach like a cobra. Thankfully, she made a crucial mistake, allowing him to grab hold and wrestle the blade from her, tossing it up the corridor.

She fought like a wild cat against him, scratching at his face and using her pointy elbows and heels to hit him about the ribs and legs. Pain seared through him as he tried to use a chokehold to knock her out.

Then, after a particularly brutal elbow right in the cracked ribs, he yelled out and broke her neck with a loud and horrifying crack. She went limp in his arms and when he let her go she slid to the floor in a heap.

He staggered to sit back against the wall, panting through the screaming agony in his chest and staring at a still prone Heero. Fuck, he had to move fast. If he encountered Rasid right then, he'd be a dead man for sure.

Each corridor looked like the other and he quickly got turned around. His shoulder and chest screamed from carrying Heero's weight and his clothes and hands were soaked in blood from Hasfah's attempt at death by a thousand cuts.

"Fuck," he hissed to himself. "This is taking too goddamn long."

A sound came from the next corridor and he hurried towards it only to find himself back at the operating room. A quick glance inside showed Quatre still in his chair, the little motor squealing as he tried to manoeuvre it around the locked parking breaks.

Duo scanned the room for Rasid and was shocked to find that the man was gone. Something was definitely strange about that. The older man would never have left his master alone and vulnerable like that.

::Duo. Help me.:: The mechanical voice grated against his ears, Quatre's blue eyes wild in their sockets. :: Rasid. He betrayed me. There's a bomb. Quickly. Look.::

Duo's eyes widened as they shifted to the wall of servers and sure enough there was a device attached right at the centre of them, comically large red numbers counting down. Duo dumbly goggled at the five gallon drum a nepalm directly beneath it.

He had to give the man credit. Nepalm would burn everything in the room to cinder without threatening the hull of the colony. Thank god, because Duo was in no fucking condition to try to disarm that mother fucker.

He looked back at the blond and watched dispassionately as he desperately tried to move the large wicker chair, the voice box screeching and sputtering as he wailed.

"Looks like even someone as loyal as Rasid has his limits. Guess it was all that talk about sacrificing your own kid and killing your friends in exchange for longer life. But hey, you've still got a good few minutes left on the clock. Maybe you should think about your life choices huh?"

The braided pilot shrugged and adjusted Heero's weight on his back, wishing that he'd just dumped the man into the damned wheelchair when he'd had the chance.

::Duo. Duo! You would just leave me here would you? It's me… Quatre , your friend.::

He looked up into terrified blue eyes and shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry man but my friend died a long time ago. Goodbye Ephyon."

The robot voice's screams echoed through the empty halls as Duo hustled them along, desperate to find a way out before they burned up with the rest of this god forsaken place.

Just about when he was ready to cry with frustration he found an exit and pushed through to a set of dimly lit stairs.

"Fuuuuuck." he screamed up into the darkness before gritting his teeth and adjusting Heero's weight on his back. The first flight was excruciating, the second had him crying. Thankfully, there was no third, only a non-descript exit hatch in the wall.

There was a distant foom and ground rumbled. Shit. THe Bomb. The napalm. He braced his shoulder against the hatch and screamed in a mix of rage, pain and adrenaline as he wrestled the rusty wheel crank open. The air on the other side was fresh, the light blinding after all the darkness and he sobbed a few heaving breaths before reaching for his lover.

He shoved Heero out of the hatch unceremoniously and jumped out after him, taking a painful roll on the concrete before springing back up to shut the hatch and lock it. Just as the last tumbler clanked into place, another foom rocked the structure behind him and he stumbled away to collapse next to Heero's spawned body.

As he lay there, spread eagled on the dirty ground, his hand in a death grip around Heero's wrist, his chest blazing with pain, sirens wailing in the distance and small, tinny voices yelling from the phone in his pocket; he heard Heero let out a moan and felt the arm under his hand flex.

"Jesus…. Christ…. Yuy." he panted each word, his eyes screwing shut from the sanity stealing pain radiating from his chest. "Now… you … wake… up?"

He felt the man next to him shift closer, Heero's voice deep and slurring from the sedative. "Duo, daijoubu ka? [are you okay]"

The braided pilot would have laughed if he wasn't in so much goddamned pain. Heero did have the sexiest bedroom voice. He felt gentle fingertips touch his cheek and leaned into the touch with a groan, Shinigami moaning with him as it pulled itself into the shadows to lick its thousand cuts.

"Genkidesu, babe." [I'm good, thanks] he mumbled, hearing a car screech to a stop nearby and footsteps pounding towards them. He heard his name being called and felt gentle hands on his shoulders but all of it seemed from so far away.

Heero's face swam above him and he let out a whimper as his vision blurred. That last thing he saw before falling into blackness was his lover's concerned and scared face.

Then he was lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Duo Maxwell is such a fucking Badass! I love him so much.
> 
> Who expected Trowa and Rasid to throw a wrench in the works huh?


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here we come to the end of this story. i have plans for more stories in this verse because there are a lot of things o still address and i love writing about my boys.
> 
> I tried so hard to redeem Quatre but it just wouldn't take. i'm so sorry my Kitty Quat. you made such a great and creepy villain. maybe next time.

"It's like déjà vu all over again." 

Zechs pushed the bedroom door closed with his foot before bringing the dinner tray further into the room. He set it on the small table provided for that purpose alone and turned to where Heero sat propped against the head board with his computer in his lap.

"Only last time it was Duo holding vigil over you as you slept."

Heero grunted at the taller man's chuckle, his eyes casting down to where Duo lay beside him. At least it was a natural sleep now that most of his wounds had healed or were on the way to healing.

The brunette looked younger in his slumber, his messy braid curled around one shoulder. His face looked relaxed, no longer holding the pinched look that belayed the pain he'd been experiencing. 

Heero once again cursed that blasted drug to hell and back. Thankfully, Iria had knowledge of it, as a proto version of it had been used for the family members prone to mental degradation due to their gifts. 

Unfortunately, she'd never encountered a version that had been as concentrated as the one that had been administered to the 02 pilot. It had taken her quick thinking and the dedicated staff at the hospital to pull the unconscious man from the drug's nefarious clutches. 

By the time Vlastimil had arrived on L4 to take the reins of the local Preventer branch and clean house of all the corruption that seemed to be running rampant there, Heero had spent a week at his partner's side, sleeping in a small cot next to Duo's bed; clutching either his love's hand or the tip of his braid.

Waking up in the middle of the street, groggy, disoriented and missing the familiar warmth of their bond had been staggering to say the least. Add to the fact that his lover lay bloody and panting beside him, looking like he'd been in a fight with a pack of wild animals and lost; had yanked the ground right from under him.

Shakur and Beck, who'd apparently been searching for them relentlessly ever since the accident and the fledgling bond growing between them all but disappeared; has coming running towards them, followed by Iria and the few loyal Preventers and medical staff she'd called in.

Apparently, both men had raised hell at Preventers then at Sayida's residence until Iria had appeared to assist. They had quickly figured out that they couldn't rely on the Preventers because who ever took Duo and Heero had to have been privy to restricted information.

Then a unknown call had come into Beck's phone and after a few seconds of confusion, Shakur had realized that the voice on the other end had been Duo's and that the call wasn't cutting off. He'd immediately set Beck to tracing the call, following it all the way to one of the Winner properties that, according to all records, was supposed to be standing empty. 

They'd tracked the signal just in time to hear the napalm going off, a muffled foom coming from deep beneath the house. Thankfully, the explosion hadn't been big enough to even threaten the colony's hull and everyone had breathed a collective sigh of relief. 

So, as Fire and Safety and other emergency responders swarmed the front of property, Iria's people had loaded both Duo and Heero into an ambulance and had taken off down a back street to a private clinic that Iria ran. 

As Heero waited out the sedative in his own blood stream, Duo slept off the chemical cocktail in his, waking briefly a few times only to blink blearily at them, mumble a few nonsensical words and whimper in pain.

It had wrecked the Japanese man to see the drug ravage his lover so, leaving them both unable to reach for each other through their bond, to connect on that deeper level.

Iria had been forced to threaten Heero with more sedation if he continued his sleepless vigil at Duo's side and he'd agreed to get rest and do important things like eat and bathe if she arranged to have a cot brought in. 

Beck and Shakur had been his anchors during that tumultuous time. With Zechs and Wufei unable to leave Sanq and travel to L4 to provide the comfort of tribe, it had fallen to the two soldiers to step up to the plate.

They'd organized clothes and supplies for Duo and Heero, liaised with the Preventers and had fielded Vlastimil's and then Une's demands for a debrief of the two gundam pilots. They'd dealt with Sayida and helped wade through the aftermath of the fire that had gutted the underground levels completely. 

How unfortunate that all of the research both Quatre and Rabi'a had been compiling had been completely and utterly destroyed, the wall of servers they'd found burned to slag. Even the data cloud with backups of the files had been purged by an unknown user. 

Heero had even been asked to take a look at the file fragments when he'd recovered enough but he'd only scanned through the data, chuckled darkly and thrown his hands up in defeat. Vlastimil had been raging mad when he'd stomped out of the room but Lenka had just given him an appraising look and nodded before taking her leave.

Shakur and Beck also tracked down the corrupt Preventer Commander and handed him over for interrogation and imprisonment, providing evidence that he'd arranged for the armoured truck stolen off the Preventer impound lot to t-bone the unmarked sedan that Heero had been driving.

The bodies of Quatre, Rabi'a and Hasfah Winner had been recovered from the ruins and their deaths had been announced as being tragically accidental. Quiet funeral services had been held for them with all the quiet solemnity that was due their social station. 

There had been no sign of Trowa Barton Winner or Rasid found at the house or even on the colony itself. They both just seemed to disappear into thin air.

In the weeks after, several shifts and changes would be made to the Winner Sisterhood Hierarchy, with several women retreating to live quiet lives out of the public eye. Sayida remained at the head, Iria had been elevated to her right hand and things settled down pretty quickly after that.

Zechs sent Sanq's new shuttle arrived to bring them home and Heero had grinned to himself, imagining Duo's face when he realized he'd been knocked out for his first ride on the craft after advocating so hard for it.

Being back in Sanq with the tribe had been a balm to his soul. The bond between him and Duo had slowly reappeared as the drugs had been flushed out of their systems but it remained weak and tremulous. 

Only when MJ and Pietr rushed to hug him, Zechs and Wufei following right behind, did Heero feel safe enough to release the fear and grief he'd been holding back since he'd woken up to feel his bond gone. He fallen into their arms, sobbing as they held him and shored up his worn thin shields. 

Since that day he'd meditated with one or more of them every day, never left alone for too long with his doubts and fears. He could feel Duo somewhat along the weakened bond, faint wisps of emotions leaking through here and there but his partner was mainly silent. And asleep.

A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his wool gathering and he looked up at Zechs. The blond man smiled and handed him a mug of hot chocolate. It was loaded with calories and marshmallows and seemed to be the only thing that Heero seemed to crave. 

He murmured his thanks and took a sip of the thick drink, nibbling on a marshmallow and licking foam off his top lip. Zechs settled in the comfortable chair next to the bed, pulling out a book and turning to a book marked page, settling into a comfortable silence.

Heero appreciated his presence, taking another sip of chocolate and wrapping one hand around his lover's braid for comfort. He took a deep, calming breath and his fist tightened around the braid, still paranoid that if he were to let go for a moment that Duo would vanish from his side.

He forced them to relax and took another sip of cocoa, letting the fear fade naturally from his mind. Duo was here, right next to him. Solid and warm and breathtakingly beautiful in his slumber. 

He sent love along the thready little bond. 'You need to wake up already, baka. I miss you.' A tiny pulse of fondness was pushed back at him, a minute trickle where there used to be a flood. 

It wasn't much but it was something and he was grateful for it. He was a patient man. He would wait for his lover to come back to him, even if it took forever.

He sighed loudly and slumped back against the headboard, draining his mug and setting it aside. Before pulling his laptop closer once more.

"We really need to stop this getting kidnapped thing. I am so fucking over it."

Zechs huffed a laugh and nodded sagely. 

"Amen to that brother."

\------------------------------- 

Trowa watched Nehaan play in the dirt with the other children with a smile. Gone were the little tailored suits and perfectly combed hair. The little boy was in a plain t-shirt and dusty shorts, his pale skin already getting a tan in the desert sun.

Thankfully he tanned like Quatre, turning a sun kissed golden brown and not a splotchy red like Trowa's skin did. His smile turned bittersweet. It was a pity that Nehaan would never to meet his father, never know first-hand what a beautiful soul Quatre really was.

But Trowa would be there. He would make sure that the boy grew up knowing the man Trowa had fallen in love with. The good man with the Heart of Space who loved the world so much.

No one would speak of the man his husband had become in the end. How Ephyon had all but murdered his love and turned his body into a horrifying mockery of life. No one would use that cursed research try to create anything like that again. He'd made sure of that.

He'd burned the earth and salted the fucking ashes in his wake. All for the love of the little boy laughing and glowing in the desert sun.

"The young Master doing rather well with the other children." Rasid's deep voice came from behind him and Trowa nodded. 

"He's socializing at the age level that he appears to be and he learns at an incredible rate. We'd have to watch out for his next growth spurt but Iria says that he's both mentally and physically stable."

The larger man hummed. "Have you thought about Lady Catherine's request for a visit her at the circus?"

"I don't want to take him off planet or anywhere near L4 for a long time yet so I won't be able to visit her on L3 but I'd like to invite her to earth to stay for a while if that's alright with you?"

He turned to look at the other man. "I want Nehaan to meet his Aunty Cathy."

Rasid's smile widened, the laugh lines on his face deepening. "It would be an honour to have her here with us."

Trowa smiled back before turning to watch the children playing. "Thank you Rasid, for everything."

\------------------------------- 

Shinigami flexed his wings, a deep growling rumbling in his chest as he shifted. He'd been asleep, curled up in a dark corner as bolts of lightning and fire raged across the violet sky, searing it blinding white.

He wasn't sure how long ago he'd retreated here, seeking solace and comfort in the darkness. All he'd know was that he'd been afraid and in pain and oh so alone, the pretty|warm|gold thing that had been with him for so long was gone.

He'd keened in the darkness, seeking out the pretty|warm|gold but hadn't been able to find it. Then came the pain of a thousand small cuts, ripping at his wing and at his flesh; at his fur and feathers. 

He'd screeched at the pain giver, sating his ravenous hunger with the sound of bones breaking, at the soft draining away of the last of life. 

He'd shivered in the darkness at the soulless void shaped like a friend, arching his wings in a show of intimidation. He would not cower, he would not yield.

Then, when the surging flames of rage and desperation had finally faded back into the shadows once more, he searched for the pretty|warm|gold once more.

He'd howled when he couldn't find it, cold winds wailing and biting against his soft underbelly as he trembled and shook with despair.

Where was the pretty|warm|gold that came with intense blue eyes and warm, calloused hands? Where was the other half of his heart? 

Weeping bitter tears that were whipped away by the harsh, caustic rain, he'd curled his wings tightly around himself, willing them to harden.

He had to protect himself from the unnatural downpour with its chemical smell and big, fat droplets that burned his skin. He cried himself to sleep, missing keenly his pretty|warm|gold and wondering why, oh why had it left him all alone?

Time spun passed, fast or slow, long or short he didn't know; until a small tug beneath his ribs woke him. He curled inward and gasped in amazement when a small tendril of pretty|warm|gold swirled delicately along his fingers.

He played with the soft, flaxen thread, his eyes bright with wonder and it pulsed weakly in his palm. Still in awe, he brought the curl up to his heart and sighed when it thrummed with love.

He strained his ears to listen, reluctant to open his wings lest the caustic rain burn him once more. There were murmurs of voices but he couldn't hear what they said. There were flashes of emotions that both intrigued and frightened him.

Yet, amongst the chorus of voices he couldn't hear the one he longed for to call him home. He pined for the voice, soft and low and growly and filled with love. He keened for it, clutching the tiny pretty|warm|gold close to his heart.

And he grieved in the cold, lonely darkness. 

Then suddenly, the voice rang in his ears loud and clear. 

'You need to wake up already, baka. I miss you.'

The pretty|warm|gold vibrated against his chest, growing stronger and warmer as he began to smile, sending a rush of love and longing along the flaxen threads. His wings twitched, his feathers fluttering as he relaxed the taut muscles. 

He peeked out from behind them with trepidation, in fear of the burning rain but was surprised to find the skies clear and violet, no white flashes to be found. 

He shook a shaky step out, his wings receding to stretch behind him as the cool breeze caressed his face. The pretty|warm|gold glowed brighter in his cupped hands, stretching towards his chest and hooking gleefully just below his heart.

He laughed as it bloomed into the strong, vibrant cord he'd known before and a tidal wave of love, care and affection followed with it.

He cried out in fierce joy, loud and carefree, his wings snapping fully open behind him as the pretty|warm|gold shone like the sun before him. 

'Duo. Duo can you hear me? Daijobu ka? Saiai!'

The beloved voice echoed through the skies like the clear chime of a bell, skimming a tender caress along his tear stained cheek and Shinigami breathed out one word. The only word that mattered.

"Heero."

Back at the palace, Duo's eyes snapped open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's it. that's the end for now. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as it enjoyed writing it. until next time. ja ne.


End file.
